Apprentice tradie learns of uni placement while constructing campus he now studies at

A go-getting Narangba apprentice carpenter has quite literally put his mark on the brand new university campus where he now studies at full-time.

HE helped build it and now he studies there.

Narangba apprentice carpenter Jacob Butteriss, 18, was doing manual labour at USC Moreton Bay in the lead-up to the new facility’s completion when he received his university acceptance.

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“I started working on the USC site in December when Axiom Project Services was managing the installation of the public access systems,” the Narangba Valley State High School 2018 graduate said.

“I was doing tasks like tactile paving for visually impaired people, handrails and stair nosing.

“One day I was on smoko and I got a text from USC saying that I’d got in. I thought, ‘you bewdy’, I’m going here to USC.”

Jacob Butteriss, 18, had a hand in the construction of USC Moreton Bay where he is now a student.

Mr Butteriss has since been studying and working seven days a week, challenging himself to four subjects of the Tertiary Preparation Pathway program this semester.

“I’m studying academic skills, statistics, ICT and advanced STEM because I’m hoping to get into a civil engineering degree,” he said.

“I’m loving it. It’s a really good environment for studying and because the campus is so close, I’m able to live at home with my parents.

“My mum has plenty of pointers about managing my time and writing assignments because she was the first in our family to go to uni.

She’s now a high school teacher.”

Jacob Butteriss worked on paving at USC Moreton Bay.

Mr Butteriss said he continued a school-based apprenticeship after graduating and helped build houses.

“I had always wanted to be a carpenter and my boss said I was doing well, so I wanted to see if I could handle uni and really challenge myself,” he said.

While his studying will be off-campus during pandemic restrictions, he looked forward to returning to the campus he helped fit out.

USC Moreton Bay is the country’s first greenfields university in decades and officially opened last month to much fanfare, only to be hit by coronavirus restrictions.

Despite this, USC said studies were ongoing.

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“Since Monday March 30, USC has delivered its courses via technology after ensuring that all learning and teaching materials are accessible to students online,” a USC spokesman said.

“No classes are being held on campus, however students can access campus and computer labs with their swipe card while adhering to restrictions on personal distancing.”