Construcciones Yamaro: Scheriya Cuello seals future in waterproofing
A former childcare worker has made an unlikely career shift to waterproofing, part of a growing cohort of TAFE NSW-trained waterproofing technicians helping to address one of the leading causes of building defects in the state.
It comes as the 2023 Strata Defects Survey, conducted by Building Commission NSW in partnership with Strata Community Association NSW, found waterproofing to be the most common defect, present in 42 per cent of surveyed buildings.
Glenfield’s Scheriya Cuello, 26, completed an Early Childhood Education and Care traineeship through TAFE NSW after leaving school but always harboured ambitions to pursue a trade.
“My dad and grandad were both in construction and I’ve always enjoyed home DIY projects,” said Cuello. “There was always a sense that females don’t belong in the trades but that’s been changing in recent years, so I decided to make a change.”
She enrolled in a Certificate III in Construction Waterproofing at TAFE NSW Macquarie Fields, attending one day a week while working as a sheet membrane waterproofer.
Now a sales representative for Bayset, a waterproofing, flooring and concreting repair company, she hopes to use the skills learned at TAFE NSW and on the job to eventually open her own business.
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“There’s so much opportunity in the waterproofing industry and TAFE NSW really opened my eyes to it,” she said. “As building compliance codes get stricter, the industry will continue to grow and that’s great for anyone wanting to enter the industry.”
In NSW, anyone carrying out residential waterproofing work valued at more than $5,000 in labour and materials must hold a relevant contractor licence, making it a regulated trade in the state.
TAFE NSW Macquarie Fields waterproofing teacher Rob Rose said waterproofing plays an increasingly critical role in the construction industry.
“It’s arguably the most important of the construction trades because of the amount of defects out there and the cost to rectify them,” said Rose. “Building classification laws are tightening and every building requires some form of waterproofing. It’s created huge demand for waterproofing professionals. Scheriya was a great student, very attentive and meticulous, and I have no doubt she’ll have a successful career in the industry.”
TAFE NSW Macquarie Fields is the only TAFE NSW campus in the state offering the qualification.
The post Scheriya Cuello seals future in waterproofing appeared first on Inside Construction.
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