Father, footballer, and eager for change

Phil Molina is adding new skills to his already wide range of unique talents, now that he’s joined QRS’s concreting team.

“What I’d seen and heard about QRS was pretty good and that’s why I came. I’m glad I did.”

Phil is a deft painter, whose expertise in commercial roof painting, saw him posted around New Zealand to tackle unique and challenging commercial jobs.

He worked for commercial painting and maintenance experts Carus for six years while based in Kaitaia, then Wairoa. His skills were so highly regarded, Carus flew him in and out of Wairoa for two weeks at a time. One unique job took him to the Southern Alps where he painted Cardrona Alpine Resort’s roof and had a blast on the mountain drift carts they run down the mountain during summer.

The experiences were amazing. He has seen most of New Zealand. There was only one thing wrong. Phil hates painting. “Yes! I really do. It looks easy, but it’s not, and I needed a change.”

Capable and confident, Phil changed tack and studied towards his Diploma in Early Childhood education through an online provider. He worked part-time at Wairoa’s Kiwiana Childhood centre. “I love kids, that’s why I’ve got so many,” says Phil, who is caring and fun, and Dad to 12 children.

But, the online learning style was a challenge, and in the end, Phil left the course, but not before inspiring his wife Kashmir to take up study. She is now just one year away from becoming a qualified early childhood teacher.

Phil is a qualified scuba diving teacher and thought for a while about becoming a commercial diver. Maybe one day he could work in the tuna nets wrangling sharks in Australia. But he admits that’s a younger man’s dream, and now, after encouragement from former QRS staffer Nick Murray, Phil is pursuing new skills at QRS. “I’ve been asked to work in the concrete team and I’m happy.”

Phil has been boxing, laying metal, and compacting. It’s no surprise he’s good at edging, raking and screening. “There is definitely some crossover with my painting career,” he laments.

Outside of work and fathering, Phil throws himself into the beautiful game. Every weekend he puts his body on the line playing goalkeeper for Wairoa Athletic Sports Club’s football team. “That’s my me time and I love it.”

Ends 

22 April 2024

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