The old examination results book records the names, results and attendance records of apprentice builders from 1946 until the dawn of computers, among them many names that are now well-known in the industry.

The book was lucky to survive the transition from Warrnambool North Technical School to South West TAFE in the late 1980s and now takes pride of place at TAFE’s Sherwood Park campus.

The records cover pre-apprenticeships in carpentry and cabinetmaking and Certificate IV in Building and Construction and their previous incarnations.

TAFE teachers Chris Holloway and Robert Knight re-discovered the volume, which details the training success of more than 1000 apprentice builders, after conducting a phone survey of past students.

“Every carpenter in the district that was apprenticed, their results and their attendance records are there,” Mr Holloway said.

“Looking back in the book there’s a lot of names in there that are still prominent names in the industry. A lot of generations of the same family have come through here as well.”

Mr Knight, who has been with TAFE since 1988, said the records and positive feedback from past students revealed long and successful careers were possible in the industry.

“It’s amazing how many students have come through this course and stuck with the trade,” he said. 

“Those blokes that have gone on to great things have come from humble beginnings.”

Mr Knight said past students had taken their skills to all corners of the globe.

“Others have started businesses in their own right and then sent their apprentices to us for training,” he said.

“Our students have found themselves as foremen and leaders in multi-storey and multi-million-dollar projects, as well as working on domestic housing across the country.”