Here we see, at WorldSkills 2008, how Ben's father and grandfather influenced him to become a tiler!

About Wall and Floor Tiling:

The Wall and Floor Tiling category is an 18-hour project designed to test the tiling skills of the competitor, who needs to tile a design of Australia on a 2x2m corner wall with the map spreading across both walls (of course, they must not forget Tasmania!)

About The McGivern Tilers:

Chris McGivern decided to become a tiler when he was 12 years old when he came home to find his bathroom and laundry newly tiled by his father. Chris had no idea that his Dad (Bob) could tile, he thought he was just a ‘brickie’!

After working his way through his apprenticeship, Chris became joint-owner in his own company Adorn Tiles. When Ben was very young he decided he wanted to be a tiler and his father Chris told him he needed to find someone to take him on as an apprentice. Chris says that his two girls were more academic and that Ben wasn’t really into school so he enrolled him into a tafe apprenticeship in anticipation of him not liking college. He was right and two weeks into year 11 Ben said he didn’t want to go anymore.

The McGivern family is heavily involved in the tiling industry with aunts and uncles all involved!