Why I started The Hard Hat Stories.
I grew up in Perth, Western Australia, in a family where construction wasn’t simply a job—it was part of who we were.
School never felt like a place where I belonged. I struggled to connect with traditional classroom learning and eventually left school at fifteen to begin an electrical apprenticeship, followed by an apprenticeship in carpentry.
That decision changed the direction of my life.
Construction taught me discipline, responsibility, teamwork and resilience. Most importantly, it showed me that confidence isn’t something you are simply born with. It is something you build, one challenge at a time.
Those experiences eventually led me to establish my own business. But building a company was never the only motivation. What continues to inspire me is seeing what the construction industry can do for people’s lives.
I have watched apprentices become leaders, labourers become business owners and everyday people create extraordinary futures because somebody believed in them and gave them an opportunity.
The Hard Hat Stories exists to share those journeys.
Riley Thwaites
