Victoria Lord

Not so long ago, Victoria Lord was doing a Masters in infectious diseases. Heading home, she caught the civil construction bug.

Victoria applied for a job in the local civil engineering laboratory. She’s now the laboratory manager for Isaac Construction, and works testing road materials, designing new bitumen and asphalt mixes. She works with roading teams to ensure everything is to spec and they understand everything about the project, from soil composition to how fast the materials they use will degrade.

Victoria says you don’t need a tertiary qualification to succeed in construction – just drive and passion. She says anyone with a similar mindset can come straight out of school, enter the industry and develop skills on the job. Learning while you get paid? Epic.

Jake Alderson

Here’s some insight into what working in infrastructure is all about from Jake Alderson.

Jake started his career in civil construction at 16, working on New Zealand’s roads and operating large machinery such as excavators and graders.
He has shown a huge amount of drive, going on to become foreman of several construction crews in his early 20s. Jake was named Auckland’s Young Contractor of the Year 2018 in the annual CCNZ Auckland Stellar People Awards, and also won the Civil Contractors New Zealand Training Development Award for his commitment to excellence in personal and professional development.

Good on ya Jake! Keep up the EPIC work.

Hayley Scott

For McConnell Dowell site engineer Hayley Scott, job satisfaction comes from building things that will stand the test of time. From the airport she worked on in American Samoa to the main wharf she helped to reconstruct at the Port of Nelson, there’s something truly rewarding about creating infrastructure that will serve communities for the next 100 years or more.

But it’s not all about the tangible things. She also loves the variety, opportunities and challenges that come with the job, as well as the friends she has made and the team spirit that comes from working closely with others towards a collective goal.

If you ask Hayley, civil infrastructure is the perfect place to forge an epic career. And the industry is glad to have EPIC people like Hayley working to build the infrastructure we use every day too.

Elena Hofman

Every single member of the team that rebuilt State Highway 1 after the Kaikoura earthquake would rather the quake had never happened. But that doesn’t stop their efforts from being some of the best and most memorable days of their careers so far – as it was for Higgins Group project manager, Elena Hofman.

Elena was one of many who were posted to Kaikoura immediately after the devastating magnitude 7.8 quake, which destroyed roads and basic infrastructure such as the town’s water supply.

She vividly remembers the vibe around town when the water went back on and showers, toilets and other services we often take for granted could be used. Some think it’s normality, but it’s epic for the locals and all in a day’s work for people like Elena.

Harley Haywood

Harley discovered his passion early in his career, creating specialist underground infrastructure company Utilities Infrastructure Limited in his mid-20s. His company has gone from strength to strength, installing water pipes and underground services across the Canterbury region. Harley is a successful entrepreneur who has built his business the way he wants it to be.

“Every day is really exciting. There’s always different opportunities and different challenges. Every day, I like to get up early and go to work because I enjoy it.”

It’s EPIC people like Harley that connect NZ’s houses with water, transportation and the internet. Thanks Harley, we appreciate the good work you do underground.

Jay Dangwal

For Jay Dangwal, working in infrastructure construction is all about the people. As a contract manager at Fulton Hogan, Jay knows that it’s the people on a project that carry it to completion, so it’s the people in his team that deserve his attention.

That wasn’t always the case. When he worked on the tools, Jay was more interested in getting his hands dirty and getting the work done himself, but as he rose through the ranks and moved into management, he came to learn that “people are the biggest aspect of any business.”

It was on the Chapel Road rehabilitation project in Auckland – which became known as ‘the fastest road rehab in the south’ – that he first proved the transformative results of teamwork on the road. Tasked with overseeing a heavily resourced project on a tight deadline, Jay showed masterful team management skills, and was able to lead the project through to success in record-setting time. Talk about an epic win for infrastructure!

Tom Kettell

Tom Kettell “fell into civil construction” – and quickly fell in love with the work – which has taken him from engineering and quantity surveying in the UK to his current role as Business Development Manager at Canterbury-based Isaac Construction.

He thrives on the challenges and responsibilities of the job, working with interesting people and coming up with solutions. And even after years in the industry, he’s still fascinated by the intricate networks of infrastructure beneath the pavement that keep tap water running, showers draining and lights on – everyday necessities people can take for granted.

Tom urges anyone to get involved in the civil construction industry, where there are plenty of opportunities to learn, develop and make a difference.

Sam Hooper-Smith

Powerful machines and EPIC projects are great. But for Sam Hooper-Smith it’s the people he deals with that make civil infrastructure a dream career.

As the area manager for the HEB Construction team in the Waikato, it’s Sam’s job to meet with teams, clients and suppliers to get projects started and keep them progressing. It’s a role that provides him with plenty of variety and an immense sense of satisfaction as he sees projects coming together and ultimately adding value for Waikato communities.

His advice to people considering a career in infrastructure? “In this industry there’s a job for everyone, but the key to success in any of it is that positive attitude and being open minded.”

Fiona Jerry

Fifteen years ago Fiona Jerry was stacking shelves at The Warehouse. But a desire to try her hand at something new saw her make the move into civil infrastructure construction.

She landed a job in traffic control with Pipeline & Civil and has been with the company ever since, learning new skills and enjoying new experiences – from operating excavators and driving Moxy trucks to setting up traffic management for worksites building critical infrastructure.

These days it’s Fiona who is helping others learn the tricks of the trade as Traffic Manager for Pipeline & Civil’s operations in Auckland. She’s passionate about helping people grow and develop, and wants more New Zealanders to look behind the scenes to see the huge variety and opportunity civil construction has to offer.

Keith Matheson

Keith Matheson was a Tonka truck kid…and in a way, he’s never grown up.

Keith’s early life featured mini machinery, and his passion for trucks and heavy equipment grew into a part-time job at school where in his own words, he “jumped in the digger and was set for life”.

He is now a contracts manager, overseeing projects and putting people to work to get things done. He did the hard yards with nine years on diggers, trucks, graders and bulldozers, giving him an ideal grounding in how the industry works.

Keith is still a Tonka truck kid at heart, living out his childhood passions in a career where he’s an expert in using heavy machinery to get the job done. How epic is that?

Gareth Bruce

Gareth Bruce describes his job as “literally building New Zealand”.

A project manager for Brian Perry Civil, Gareth says no two days are the same. Sometimes he doesn’t even know what city he’ll wake up in! He’s worked in various cities on new schools, hotels, rock excavations in Queenstown and as part of the Christchurch earthquake rebuild.

Gareth’s message for anyone with infrastructure aspirations is “you can go as far as you want to – you’re only limited by your imagination”. You can be your own boss or travel the world, whatever way you want to build your career.

Dan Elliott

Dan Elliott started from the bottom, now he’s here. And loving every minute with his crew. He started in the infrastructure industry as a civil labourer, worked his way up onto a loader and a 1.8 tonne excavator, then up to a five tonne, onto a grader and now he’s a site foreman at Isaac Construction leading a team of 25.

He and his team literally see their efforts laid out in front of them, like in the post 2016 earthquake roading rebuild in Kaikoura.

Dan can’t pinpoint the best day on the job – they’re all epic ones. And when the job’s done, he can say “I built that”. That’s as good as any feeling in the world.

Jemma Dutton

What is someone with an environmental science degree doing in the civil construction industry? Ask Jemma Dutton.

Jemma’s work as an environmental advisor with CPB Contractors saw her keep major roading projects on track with best ecological practice, looking after the land and the water.

Managing the impact of moving earth and water is vitally important work, and Jemma loves watching the landscape change dramatically in her projects, knowing her work protects the environment and the communities NZ’s road and rail networks connect.

Jemma and the team around her transform New Zealand, literally picking up streams and moving them. Want to make an epic difference for the environment but don’t know where to start? Work in infrastructure.

Quintin Rolston

Quintin started his career in infrastructure at 16 and went on to manage two divisions of major Canterbury construction company Isaac Construction before he turned 30. Quintin now is responsible for more than 175 staff, and has worked on many important projects, including many Christchurch earthquake rebuild jobs and projects around the Kaikoura earthquake recovery.

“Where it’s grown to is far beyond where I thought I’d be at this stage in my career. The opportunities are there to work yourself into those areas if you’re willing to work hard for it and put in the effort.”

It just goes to show the success you can find working in civil construction with a bit of spirit and a lot of hard work. Awesome stuff Quintin, keep up the EPIC work!

Olga Joensuu

Olga emigrated from Finland after working in tunnelling. She’s always had an interest in construction, but working on essential projects in New Zealand’s great outdoors is what makes her work as a Project Engineer with Brian Perry Civil so satisfying.

“You achieve something great together. And every day you learn something new. It’s interesting and challenging.”

That’s what working in infrastructure means to someone with a real passion for their work. You’re amazing Olga, we’re proud to have you on the job building NZ’s roads and bridges!

Rafe Bjork

Isaac Construction drainlayer Rafe Bjork has worked to develop his skills in a job that he loves. Working as a drainlayer has given him focus and purpose

“I recommend it to anyone, really. Anyone that likes working outdoors and doesn’t mind doing a bit of hard graft. It’s worth it in the end once you can get out there and get upsklilled. Better than a lot of people give it credit for.”

Thanks for the good work you do Rafe. NZ needs more EPIC people like you to step up and get the job done.

New Zealand needs talented people who are willing to make a difference by taking up the tools of the trade and starting a career in infrastructure.

Make a start today and you could find yourself working on meaningful projects that connect communities with transportation, connect houses with vital services such as water and electricity, or help keep NZ’s great outdoors in great shape by maintaining our waterways and walking trails.

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