Training Development finalists

The Z People Awards were developed by Civil Contractors NZ, with support and sponsorship from Z, to recognise the outstanding achievements of individuals within the civil construction industry.

Z People Awards – Training Development category finalists

Cowan Henderson.......................Christchurch Ready Mix Concrete David Kingham..............................Fulton Hogan Conrad McLean.............................City Care Construction

Cowan Henderson

Cowan is a quantity surveyor at Christchurch Ready Mix Concrete where he started as a labourer for the Civil Contracting Division.

Toward the end of 2012, he was supported by his manager to study Quantity Surveying at CPIT. During his study he continued to work 30+ hours a week on-site and 30 hours of classes. Then an opportunity for promotion came up, and Cowan was successful. He worked pricing and project managing two driveway gangs while learning quickly to manage resources, subcontractors and staff.

Now Cowan has successfully finished his Diploma, and is tendering and running a range of work from $20,000 to $1,000,000 and building relationships with companies all across Christchurch. He is part of an office team of three, leading a staff of 30 that is growing.

David Kingham

David is a graduate engineer at Fulton Hogan. He is currently working on Minor Safety Works contracts around the wider Bay of Plenty. With upwards of five different sites open at one time it involves a large amount of organisation to make sure the construction phase is running smoothly. He is responsible for staff supervision and management, planning and programming, set out, quality and safety on this contract. These works are on programme with a zero harm record, and the works package is $1.2 million, over three months.

David’s goal has always been to get exposure to every component of the contracting industry and through summer work and graduate rotations he has worked in: laboratories, quarries, asphalt, sealing, field testing, structures and now civil construction and project management.

Conrad McLean

Conrad works as asset supervisor in the Roading Maintenance Division of City Care. In this role he has helped manage a $6 million maintenance contract and is responsible for a crew of five, including up to 10 sub-contracting staff.

He has developed a love of learning during his years at City Care, where he started as part of the pre-apprenticeship programme, and has completed many qualifications, including a National Certificate in Civil Construction Works, Concrete, Kerb and Channel. He has also completed a National Certificate in Civil Plant Operation, Earthworks. He is currently completing a NZ Diploma in Civil Engineering at CPIT.

Through his extra qualifications, he has progressed from skilled labourer to operator, then 2IC roles. His training ethic has also helped him develop personally, and he has completed a National Certificate in Fitness in his own time.