Clea builds her dreams with TAFE
Carpenter Clea wants to inspire more women to be apprentices.
Clea White knew from a young age that she wanted to be a builder, just like her dad.
The trailblazer from the Mornington Peninsula worked at her dad’s building and construction company, Lizad Building and Development, while studying a Certificate III in Carpentry at Chisholm Institute.
For Clea, TAFE has given her the knowledge and confidence to pursue her goal of becoming a builder and running her own business.
‘TAFE has given me so much knowledge of the trade that I can now teach others. I have gained the confidence to know what I’m doing on site every day,’ she says.
It’s not always an easy road for women in trades, so Clea wants to use her success to inspire other women to take on an apprenticeship.
‘I would tell any other female wanting to come into a trade to give it a go. Do as much on-site time as you can and ask as many questions as you can.’
Thanks to TAFE, Clea now has the skills she needs to achieve one of her biggest dreams – to build her own home. ‘I’d love to build my first home, but we’ll see how it goes!’ she says.
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Free TAFE program
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Updated 8 April 2026
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