An interview with Jarad Hearnden
Meet Jarad Hearnden, a past student of St Patrick’s Technical College. Jarad graduated in 2013 and is now in his first year of an electrical engineering apprenticeship at ASC. He is currently working on the build of two Air Warfare Destroyers, one of which will be put in the water later this year. Whilst at St Patrick’s he was appointed Trade Leader by his peers, which involved raising issues brought to him by class mates and representing his trade group at assemblies and giving reports.
Why did you choose to study at St Patrick’s Technical College?
I was at Golden Grove High School and was keen to learn more about engineering. I transferred to St Patrick’s because they offered a course in Applied Engineering, which, at the time, wasn’t yet available at Golden Grove.
What was your favourite thing about studying at St Patrick’s?
I really liked the practical work we got to do at St Pat’s. For two days a week, we were out of the classroom and doing more hands-on work. I also like that we got to do extra work experience there.
Why did you choose the Applied Engineering course?
I wanted to keep my options open for after high school. At the time, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to study engineering at university or do an apprenticeship in electrical engineering. My time at St Patrick’s helped me figure out that I prefer hands-on work so I decided on the apprenticeship.
What drew you to ASC?
When I was in Year 11, staff from ASC came to our school to talk about the industry and what they do. I thought it was really interesting but I wanted to finish Year 12 first. I put in an application on the first day they opened.
What differences have you noticed between studying at high school and working at ASC?
Working on an Air Warfare Destroyer is exciting. Everything is bigger and better. When I was at school, I didn’t recognise how important workplace safety is. But being here has really taught me how important it is.
At ASC, you get to work with different people on different areas of the ship. And you get a rostered day off too.
This interview originally appeared in the Advanced Technology Project Newsletter Issue #5, August 2014.