2026 | Construction – Carpentry (Trade)
“People are already building the future I want to be part of. And I want to go see it with my own eyes and build it with my own hands.”
I did not come to carpentry through the front door. I took the long way through university, hospitality and labouring before signing on as an apprentice; to challenge myself, learn new skills and do work that felt tangible and useful. I am now in my fourth year, and my apprenticeship has taken me right across Far North Queensland.
Being on the tools in remote and regional areas, combined with previous sustainability studies, has encouraged me to think beyond the task in front of me. I am curious how sustainability can be considered from the beginning, through design, material choices and construction methods, rather than bolted on at the end.
I applied for this scholarship because I want to learn from people and places approaching construction differently. I am has good ideas and strong motivation to reduce waste across residential and commercial [construction] and promote sustainable building practices. particularly interested in passive design, low-impact construction and prefabrication, and want to see these ideas in practice, and how tradespeople, designers and contractors deliver them together.
Ultimately, I want to bring that knowledge home, adapted to regional Queensland, where resources, climate and access differ from major urban areas.
“Chelsea has good ideas and strong motivation to reduce waste across residential and commercial construction and promote sustainable building practices. She is passionate, authentic and shows a sense of purpose within her trade.”
- Assessor Panel