Humans of Carey: Mark Hannaford

Design and Technology Technician

I started an apprenticeship in Surrey Hills, making furniture at a very early age – maybe too early. Nothing like starting at the deep end: the company happened to be working on the main sections of the new Parliament House in Canberra. I soon learnt to keep my head down, not say too much and try hard. I also found the people around me weren’t just going to give up their skills and tricks easily. Befriending strangers is difficult, for me anyway, and I tried hard to ask as many questions as possible without wasting their time.

After a year, the feeling of uncertainty at my new job dissolved into the jokes and funny situations my new colleagues included me in. It felt good. This is a job where you can’t hide from your mistakes. Without the assistance of those people, I would not have kept my job as they would often go out of their way to rescue the furniture I was making badly. I slowly got better and became comfortable making all kinds of pieces. I loved my job and I felt part of a team.

During the 1990s recession, I moved from factory to factory for a while, still using the same skills and, more importantly, the same methods of befriending the workers to gain their knowledge and to be accepted into their teams. I felt a bit like a thief as each piece of information was passed onto me. It was important to me to find out as much as possible about the industry, I found it so interesting and still do. In a trade, you get clear information on how you are working, good or bad. You will be told in no uncertain way by someone more experienced than you.

I became a teacher many years later. I had been making furniture for over a decade and, thinking my body would not be able to take the physical strain the job requires in years to come, I went back to school to do the Diploma of Education. I started my first teaching job at Peninsula Grammar and found the students and staff very helpful. I had to move away from Melbourne to do this and after two years I wanted to return to suburbia because I missed seeing my friends regularly, so I managed to get a job at a TAFE teaching apprentices furniture making in Heidelberg. Here I could really spread the ideas and tricks I had gained from those interactions over the years, and I think I made a difference with the apprentices.

Later I was approached to work with students with special needs. Although I had done a few years of teaching by then, I did have to think carefully about this idea. Was I suitable for such a job? Well, it turned out I fit in quite well. The students responded to me and the staff were also interested in how I went about my woodworking classes. I felt like a wizard demonstrating a dark art at times. This was a part-time job and although I loved the special school, I needed more work.

I found a position as a Technician at Carey listed in the paper. When I entered reception for the first time at the Kew campus, a young student stopped and allowed me to go through the door before him and I thought what a very nice fellow he must be. I now know he wasn’t and isn’t alone. There are many individuals just like him all willing to help each other. I feel I have been given a great gift working here at Carey as we all share and help each other. The students and staff are fabulous, thoughtful, kind and helpful. It’s unlike any other job I have had before. I instantly felt, and still feel, welcomed and included while feeling like I can add to this collection of fine individuals.