Our People

Taylors, a great place to work

Madushi Jayasinghe is a Site Engineer in her third year working for Taylors. She loves the variety of work and the balance she gets from the mixture of officebased work and regular site visits.

Madushi Jayasinghe Site Engineer

Upon receiving a new project, a site engineer is responsible for managing all of the necessary paperwork and ensuring the quality of the project matches the engineer’s design. Regular site visits are conducted to oversee employees and collaborate with engineers and clients. The role involves a great deal of communication and engagement with others, all while ensuring the successful completion of the project.

A range of tests are carried out, depending on the project, including soil compaction and soil density tests to ensure that preparation work has been properly completed before roads are built.

If the project requires water sampling, it is carried out as well as keeping daily logs and documents updated, including recording hazardous substances.

Madushi was a qualified multi-storey structural engineer in her home country of Sri Lanka before emigrating to New Zealand. She wasn’t able to find work with that qualification so she did a refresher course at Te Pūkenga (formerly NMIT) and was then employed by Taylors.

“I did not have any knowledge of what was happening underground or earthworks. It was a really big step and experience for me. I’m still learning,” says Madushi.

“I find it fulfilling to be physically present and involved in the work on site. Personally, I enjoy spending time at the site rather than being confined to an office setting. My current work–life balance allows me to split my time evenly between office work and site visits, which is ideal for me.”

Taylors is currently supporting Madushi to study for her Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and she hopes to progress to managing her own projects at some stage.

In the meantime she’d like to see more gender diversity amongst the engineering team at Taylors and in engineering generally. “I wish there were more female engineers. I’ve seen a lot of males but very few female engineers and workers.

“The field of civil engineering is incredibly diverse and offers a wide range of opportunities. If you prefer to work in an office environment, there are plenty of opportunities to engage in engineering work, documentation, and technical report writing. Conversely, if you prefer to be more hands-on, there are also many opportunities to work onsite. Ultimately, the field allows you to find a niche that best suits your interests and strengths.

“Gender is not a determining factor in this line of work. It’s important to have diverse perspectives and voices in engineering, which is why I strongly encourage women to consider this career path. We need all genders represented to bring unique perspectives and ideas to the table.”

Madushi says that she has been very impressed by the way that Taylors support their employees.

“The owners are approachable and willing to engage with their employees. This level of openness is a rare trait to find in the business world. Taylors is a company that strives to assist its employees to achieve to the best of their abilities. They are known for their top-notch work and have earned a positive reputation within their industry. Working for Taylors is a great opportunity that many people would be fortunate to have.” ■

Tyler Chamberlain Machine Operator

Tyler Chamberlain was looking for a change from dairy farming when he started working with Taylors five years ago.

“I wanted to sit in a machine,” says Tyler. “I’ve been in dairy farming my whole life. I wanted to get away from the physical side.”

Tyler’s parents had a couple of diggers and a truck for their own drain laying business so Tyler had plenty of experience driving equipment. He’s also been mentored by machine operator Kevin Brunning, also known as ‘Skin’.

“Skin has taught me everything I needed to know. He’s known me since I was knee high.”

Tyler currently operates a 225 zero tailspin digger, working mostly within the Rivers team.

“I’m doing all the rock and trees and planting willows. I also do a lot of tree felling with a chainsaw. I’ve only done machine operating for a year-and-a-half fulltime. Otherwise I was just driving a dump truck whenever it was needed.”

With his working background, early starts aren’t a problem.

“I still start early, just like in dairy farming. That’s probably why it’s so easy for me to get up so early. You even get up early on your weekends off if you’re a dairy farmer.”

Tyler is enjoying getting out and about and seeing different parts of the countryside in his current job. “I still get to chat to farmers with my work in the Rivers team.”

Described by a colleague as having a natural gift for rock placement, Tyler’s work has also attracted praise from Taylors client, the Tasman District Council. Tyler himself feels that he’s finally realised a long-held ambition.

“I‘ve always wanted to drive a digger ever since I was a kid. It finally happened. I’m really stoked.”

Tyler says that the wider workplace culture at Taylors is also a big part of his enjoyment of his job.

“I’ve got quite a few friends here. Everyone’s approachable, definitely in our Rivers crew and the workshop boys. We have a pretty good culture in the Rivers department. We have BBQs outside of work and catch up with each other.

“I’ve told a few people to get a job here. People have asked me what it’s like and I’ve told them to apply. They didn’t get the jobs, but that’s not my fault. They obviously didn’t say the right things!”