Bianca celebrates being the first South Australian female stonemason.
The Australian Government is working closely with states and territories to ensure the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system works for students like Bianca Taylor.
From VET in High School to a stonemasonry apprenticeship
Bianca’s pathway to success:
- Bianca started with a VET Construction course in Year 10, knowing she wanted to work in a trade.
- After Year 10, Bianca worked full time for a heritage restoration company, where she assisted with high profiled projects, such as the iconic Adelaide Station Façade and Ramp Restoration.
- Bianca applied for an apprenticeship and was one of 17 out of 70 applicants to successfully be granted a four-year apprenticeship, studying a Certificate III in Stonemasonry.
Bianca was warmly welcomed by her supervisor and the tradesmen who took her under their wings. “Their mentorship made me fall in love with the trade,” she said. - Through a Fellowship program, Bianca was sponsored to go to the UK where she worked alongside master stonemasons on the conservation of the Exeter Cathedral.
- Bianca, determined to finish her apprenticeship before she turned 20, pulled out all the stops.
“During the third year of my apprenticeship, I realised I had only completed 33% of my course work, so I pulled out all stops and worked at seven different stonemasonry companies to broaden my skills and experience,” said Bianca.
- As a result, Bianca successfully completed her apprenticeship and qualified at the age of 19 – four months before her 20th birthday.
Entrepreneurial flare reaps benefits
The month after qualifying, Bianca’s entrepreneurial flare came to the fore and she started her own stonemasonry business.
Bianca’s business had work lined up before she’d even completed her qualification! After a presentation she delivered on stonemasonry and heritage projects, Bianca was approached by the owner of a large working merino sheep station, and asked to help restore the original buildings.
“I asked the owner to take a raincheck until I qualified at the end of the year, which she agreed to! I was super excited to start working on the project six months later when I launched my own business,” Bianca said.
Heritage stonemasonry initiative
Bianca has been given the go-ahead to apply fully traditional techniques at the sheep station and the restoration effort is now in full swing. Bianca is restoring walls built from the station’s quarried stones (held together by red mud and turning to dust) using limestone and lime putty.
Other traditional techniques Bianca is applying include:
- Building a kiln from scratch
- Burning limestone for 24 hours at a temperature of at least 900°C
- Producing lime clinkers
- Slaking the lime
- Creating lime putty, the traditional lime binder
The Australian Government’s investment in the VET system through the National Skills Agreement is supporting more Australians to achieve success and provide the skills Australia needs now and for the future.
More information
- Find out about the National Skills Agreement
- VET pathways pave the way for successful careers (Your Career)