If it had not been for him giving her a nudge, Miss Hudson (20) might never have explored machining as a potential career and landed an apprenticeship at United Machinists in Dunedin.
Australian-born, Miss Hudson moved to Southland with her family when she was 10. Her father Greg owns Custom Guns, a gunsmith and retail business in Invercargill.
At school, she had "no clue" about her career path and, after leaving, she studied neuroscience at university for a year.
But the university environment was not really her thing, despite her finding the topic interesting.
Returning to Invercargill, she worked for her father, gaining experience as a gunsmith. Mr Hudson suggested she complete a mechanical engineering certificate at the Southland Institute of Technology and she graduated top of her class.
While completing the course, she continued to help her father and that work experience had given her a head start skills-wise, United Machinists chief executive Sarah Ramsay said.
Practically inclined, Miss Hudson enjoyed the course and the ability to be "doing stuff" rather than sitting in a lecture theatre staring at slides.
Later following her boyfriend to Dunedin, she applied for a few jobs but none really clicked with her, she said.
Again, it was her father who asked if she had heard of United Machinists, saying "they look really cool". The CNC machine shop provides precision-machined components for aerospace, electronics, automotive, medical and marine applications.
Miss Hudson literally walked in off the street and told the team she was looking for an apprenticeship in the city and asked if she could have a look around and have a chat. An interview was later set up "and I suppose I won them over", she said, laughing.
Mrs Ramsay said door knocking was not common among job-hunters these days and it showed great assertiveness.
"For me, it always comes down to that first interview.
"Jamie was really well prepared, had done her research into United and presented herself really confidently. It’s also great to have our first female apprentice in the four years since I joined the business. We have women in leadership, administration and quality-control roles, but we’d love to see more on the tools."
Miss Hudson, who started her apprenticeship at the end of January, said it was "definitely" what she wanted to be doing. And it was an exciting industry to be involved in.
"I think it’s cool we’re making parts for so many different things. All of those things, I think, are important."
She was particularly fascinated with the firm’s partnership with Taska Prosthetics; it produced internal components for the Christchurch-based company’s prosthetic hands.
She believed other young job seekers needed to "take that extra step" and put themselves out there — "otherwise you won’t know if that’s what you want".
"I think the biggest thing is actually giving it a go," she said.
