CARPENTERS Cyril Maybury and John Richardson sit at opposite ends of experience in the construction industry however their take on it is the same — a career with BCM McAlpine offers a lifetime of opportunity. Mr. Maybury joined the company only six years ago while Mr. Richardson boasts a longer history. “I joined BCM on April 28, 1977,” he said explaining that he apprenticed under his father, James L. Richardson, who operated a shop in St. George’s.

“Now you have to go to school to be qualified but I learned my trade there, working on projects for the (Bermuda) National Trust. I had to make sure the work was done to the National Trust standard and code. I had to make sure it looked like it was done in the 17th century.”

It provided him with an excellent grounding in carpentry as did the various commissions his father received from other sources. According to Mr. Richardson, he was also schooled through work at the airport with Ike Hall, at the former Holiday Inn with Kemmons Wilson and constructing homes at the US Navy Base.

In 1977 he went to work on a BCM project, the Bermuda Provident Bank — later named Bermuda Commercial Bank — which was being constructed on Church Street.

“I’ve been here ever since and it has been great,” he said. “The opportunity has been here for me to grow within the company.”

Today he is the company’s small jobs foreman, responsible for “punch lists and private client work”.

“When people have things done in their homes or offices, I go in (after a period) and fine tune them. I make sure everything is up to scratch and to the customer’s satisfaction in an office and in private homes, if there’s a specialist job that needs to be done, I go in and try and help the client.”

Part of that growth has come through the diverse jobs he has worked on during his career and BCM’s continued support.

“When (former Front Street retailer) Trimingham’s put in their jewellery centre, I went in there to put that together in ‘78. I’ve been in a supervisory position since then with different jobs. The company has always given its employees the opportunity to grow and now they’re giving the young people the opportunity to learn, to go to college.”

The practice isn’t a new one within the company, Mr. Richardson added, but its methodology has changed in recent years.

“They used to study for a two-year-period and once they finished, they would be reimbursed for the cost of their education. But now it’s run on a different basis. They go and the company pays from the beginning, giving them time off to learn different trades as they take courses at the Bermuda College and other places.”

Once an employee gains the requisite credentials, the sky is the limit. According to Mr. Richardson, his resumé extends to the conference centre at the former Sonesta Beach Hotel, the Southampton Princess, Sofia House, Bishop House, Masters Ltd. “when they renovated from the main garage into what is now the Masters Ltd. retail area”, and Elbow Beach.

“We worked on the (Anglican) Cathedral when they fixed the copper roofing and PW’s Waterfront (which) we worked on from the foundation through to the finish and then right on through to the punch list. I’ve worked on private homes in Tucker’s Town, private homes on Harbour Road. Oh boy, where haven’t I worked?”

Asked if considered the buildings would eventually become part of his legacy to Bermuda, Mr. Richardson said no.

“I was part of a team,” he said. “We worked together and we made it possible. We take what the architect puts on paper and what the customer wants and we try to realise their dream and put it there for them.”

One thing he would like to see is opportunities within the construction industry promoted to students at a younger age. According to Mr. Richardson, such basic knowledge can prove invaluable.

“One thing I would really like to see is the introduction to construction, carpentry, masonry, electrical — to the trades — in middle schools. I would really like to see them taught the fundamentals so they can look back on it. They can make a decision about what they want to do in life, but they have this introduction to fall back on. It can also help them in their personal life in their home. There may be something in their home that happens on a weekend — they can just go there and deal with it. Even if they are an executive in a reinsurance company, it’s something they can do themselves. They don’t have to pay someone else to come and do it.”

The industry is such that although change has come with the introduction of new materials and building codes, the basic language of construction will always remain the same, he added.

“Once you’ve been given the basics of a trade it’s with you your whole life. No matter what materials they come up with, the measurements don’t change. If you’re using wood, or if you’re using metal, plastics or fibreglass — the basic trade helps you through all those. It’s just a different method and a different material that you’re working with.”As an example he highlighted his early experiences in erecting partitions and the work that is involved in completing the same process today.

“When I was a young man we would have a two-by-four stud wood spruce and you had a three by an inch-and-a-quarter wood lathe that you nailed to the strip. You then plastered (it) with gypsum plaster. After that era — you also did ceilings the same way using a block measuring 16 inches by 38 inches, that you nailed onto the ceilings and the partitions and you put a copper plaster on that.

“Now you have the dry-wall that comes in a four foot by eight foot sheets that you put up. You put tape and joint compound on the joints and you smooth it off. It’s a whole different method but it’s still a wall and you still use the same basic measurements in putting it together. It’s just a different method and a different material. And now you use metal studs instead of wooden studs.”

He was generous in his praise for BCM, saying the company offered advancement possibilities to every employee.

“The opportunity is here,” the carpenter said. “If you have an idea, you put it forward and they listen. If they see you excelling in different areas, they give you the opportunity to grow in those areas, to take courses whether it’s the basic introduction to a trade or a supervisory course. The opportunity is there for that as well as any other courses within the area you’re working. They’re behind you to help you as long as you’re willing to put the time in. If you’re willing to work, they’re willing to support you.”

Such was an understanding held by Cyril Maybury long before he joined the company. He followed in his father’s footsteps — in his work for BCM McAlpine and in his decision to become a carpenter.

“Carpentry runs in my family,” he explained. “Pretty much everybody in my family is a carpenter. So that’s why I started off doing masonry work. I wanted to do something different but in the end I switched to carpentry - because I’m good at it.”

His days are spent “forming columns for a building, putting in doors and doing windows” and “pretty much (working) on a job (as part of a team) until it’s done”, Mr. Maybury explained. “I like making things. I like putting things together. To me, it’s like art.”

With his expressed interest, the company sent him to the Bermuda College where he completed his certification in carpentry.

“It’s a good company,” he said. “I really love it and I enjoy doing carpentry. Every day there’s something new, a different project.”

The 29 year old’s superintendent, Gail Marshall, cited him as an exemplary employee who would go far in the firm because he was willing to work hard and had a genuine interest in it.

“He’s a good, young Bermudian,” she said explaining he is in the process of learning the Doka panel system, a technology that supplies the construction industry with performing formwork systems and scaffolds.

“Cyril’s very keen to learn. He’s got a great attitude and takes a lot of pride in his work. There’s a lot of potential.”

It was for that reason he was given the opportunity to study at the Bermuda College, Ms Marshall added.

“It’s a big investment that the company takes on but it doesn’t bother us as long as we get good locals out of it. We offer it once they’ve been here for a year and proved to us that they’re dependable workers. The company and the (National Training Board) NTB pays for their time and we try to support them in the best way we can.

“We’ve done that for a lot of our guys and we’ve also sent many of them away for schooling. It’s basically up to the individual how far they want to go in the company. The company does not under any circumstances, hold anybody back.”