This Week We Feature Young Professional Nicolas C. Laurac
You may have seen his chiselled features and hard rock body in many fashion shows, but this week’s young professional is more than just a “face” – he is an Architect attached to the Public Works Department (PWD) and a martial arts professional.
Readers would find Nicolas Laurac’s life story to be an epitome of what a young man achieved despite the odds growing up in a single parent home.
Sitting down for this interview, the 29 year-old, who is behind the designs of some of the Government buildings, roads and retaining walls throughout the Virgin Islands (VI), recalled that his passion for Technical Drawing and animation pushed him to fulfil his dreams.
“I wanted to do animation, but in the end I turned to Architecture...it is something I have not regretted,” he revealed.
Nicolas has been with the PWD since 2005. There, he liaises with Engineers to design and draw sketches for Government related projects.
Raised on Virgin Gorda, the young professional graduated from the Bregado Flax Educational Centre in 2001, and then proceeded to the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College where he earned an Associate Degree in Science with a concentration in Architecture.
Not wanting to be one of the boys hanging on the block, Nicolas began to scour for a job and luckily saw a vacancy being advertised for a Trainee Draftsman in PWD.
“I did the interviews, and it took four months before I got the job,” Nicolas recounted. “My first day on the job, it was like wow because I remember seeing my two bosses Ashton McCall and Danny Stoutt doing a project and I asked myself how will I get this done and how can I fit in with these men. As the months passed they taught me stuff and it was a go.”
And in any professional’s life, there are always those shining moments and for Nicolas it was the day he was given the Virgin Gorda Public Works Building “to begin from scratch”.
“Seeing that I was from VG, my boss had me work along with Senior Architect Erskin Larocque but I did the full drawings, electrical, plumbing...and I was proud of myself for that,” he said with a grin.
He also credits the Deputy Director of PWD Jose deCastro for pushing him to learn new and advanced programmes including Revit-Builder.
Future wise, this young professional will be advancing his career and educational status. At the moment, he is saving to get the right certifications/degrees in his field of work. His goal is to open his own firm.
In the interim, Nicolas is soaking in all the experience, and enjoying the glorious moments with his nine month old daughter, Asia.
Delving into his childhood for a brief moment, the 29 year-old remembered the good and tough times. He praised his mother Frances McQueen-Charles for instilling discipline and a sense of responsibility, which was crucial to the then teenager.
When he was in 3rd Form, Nicolas made the bold move to seek employment. “Construction is where I worked to get the money to go to school,” he said with a sigh.
According to him, it broke his heart to see his mother struggling to upkeep him and his two siblings and he took the initiative. “I wanted to help her in any way I can, and I really wanted to go school as well; so I knew she gotta feed three of us and I gotta do something, and I did what I had to do. Hey, I helped her to pay the bills and was still able to graduate.”
Though he took his responsibilities seriously, the young professional confessed that he harboured ill thoughts towards his father. Hence, it was one of the main reasons for entering Purple Dragon in 2004.
“Initially I thought by learning the moves for the first couple of weeks, I would beat up my father any time I saw him,” Nicolas admitted. “But you come to realise that martial arts gives you a calm and a fresh view of life.”
The holder of a black belt in Don Jitsu Ryu, Nicolas won the 2009 World Championship in Texas and won “Fights and Weapons’ in the Cayman Islands in 2010.
Meanwhile, the “in demand model” ventured into the world of fashion and modelling when one of the Purple Dragon instructors told him about a variety show that was about to kick off in 2007. “I went for an audition, and thanks to the martial arts I got some abs and once I took my shirt off on stage I got some screams and that was it.”
Throughout the years, Laurac has graced many runways and his latest stunt will be the upcoming Summer Sizzle, which is organised by Terry Donovan.
Asked if he is going to continue with modelling, the young professional replied, “I don’t know but I like karate more.”
Apart from that, this week’s young professional is into basketball and table tennis. “I am quite a fun loving, career oriented and competitive guy.”
Looking back at his life so far, Nicolas accepts it is what made him a stronger man in the long run and advises young Virgin Islanders “to put themselves out there and not be limited. See pass the VI and know that they can do better for themselves instead of just relying on the Government.”
Before wrapping up the interview, Nicolas paused to express his love for his brother Nicols Charles and sister Nicole Laurac. “I love those guys with every breath."
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