Caring teachers provide the building blocks for success

08 Jul 2025

Marty Murchison (13303) has always been a man in a hurry.

When he left 国产午夜福鈥檚 College at the end of 2008, he wasn鈥檛 interested in a tertiary education. He wanted to get earning.

A variety of jobs associated with viticulture and farming meant that by the age of 20, Marty was able to buy his first house to renovate. Doing the same again three times over gave him enough money to start his own business at just 26 years old.

In 2016, the self-taught builder established Murchison Homes which is now the biggest home builder in Amberley where Marty and his partner live. He鈥檚 since added Murchison Commercial to his business portfolio, together with Everlasting Developments, which develops residential land in North Canterbury.

Marty credits College with the skills that helped him carve such a successful career. In Year 13, Marty received the benefit of a scholarship that helped pay his final year of tuition.

鈥淚t was a challenge for my parents to put me through College and they were so appreciative of the help.鈥�

A Flower鈥檚 boarder, Marty says College provided him more opportunities than he would have had at his local area school in North Canterbury.

鈥淚t gave me the flexibility to choose subjects that I was interested in and I think they have given me so many skills that I鈥檓 using every day.

鈥淪tudying Drama gave me the confidence to talk and interact with people, in Graphics I learnt how to draw and design houses, Woodwork gave me the practical skills, Accounting and Statistics helped me learn how to run a business.鈥�

Marty has dyslexia and says he appreciates the support he received from teachers to help him achieve.

鈥淚 found reading and writing really hard but the teachers put so much time into me. They actually cared and because of that, I was able to catch up. I realised that I could achieve if I set my mind to it. It changed my life.鈥�

Marty was the third Murchison generation to attend College. When he has a family of his own, any sons will also don the black and white stripes, he says.