Awards Honour High-flyers And Outstanding Training In Civil Construction

16 August 2024

Exceptional young leaders and employers demonstrating a deep dedication to staff development were recognised at the Z People Awards and Connexis Civil Training and Development Awards in Invercargill this morning.

Held in front of a crowd of hundreds at ILT Stadium Southland during The Civil Contractors Conference, the awards celebrated rising stars and top employers in New Zealand’s civil infrastructure construction industry.

Dylan Fraser of Fulton Hogan was crowned the Z Emerging Leader, in recognition of his outstanding leadership skills and impressive character. In just six years, the Wellington local progressed from graduate trainee to a contracting divisional manager with responsibility for a team of 100 staff across four departments in the Wellington region, an impressive achievement for someone under the age of 30.

The judges, Civil Contractors New Zealand’s President Bailey Gair and Commercial Customer Manager Genevieve Mc Nicholl of Z, recognised Mr Fraser’s authentic, brave and insightful approach, commenting that he was setting new standards in leadership.

“Dylan strikes the tough balance between striving for results and understanding the care and importance of engaging his team in what matters, all of which is needed to truly create a high-performance culture.”

Jethro Staite of Brian Perry Civil won the Z Personal Improvement Award, which recognises exceptional devotion to personal professional development and the support of their peers.

Starting in the industry as a labourer, then working his way up to managing large teams on high profile projects, Mr Staite is now supervising a multi-million-dollar upgrade of the Waikanae Water Treatment Plant.

The judges recognised Mr Staite’s willingness to take on a challenge and the ambition he has for himself, his team and the industry. They also cited a host of examples of his work ethic and dedication to delivering the highest quality work.

“Personal improvement is all about working towards something, having a goal and a vision, and focusing on how to get better and bringing people along as you succeed. Jethro, you’ve nailed it.”

The winners each secured themselves a Southland-made trophy crafted from recycled rimu and schist from Z, $1,000 from CCNZ and one year’s subscription to Contractor Magazine. As winner of the Emerging Leader award, Mr Fraser also received the ‘Dr Dave Memorial Trophy', named in memory of Dr Dave Hutchison, an outstanding person who was responsible for helping many young people build their skills and find success in their careers.

This morning’s awards presentation also included the coveted Connexis Civil Training and Development Awards, recognising employers’ commitments to training and development of their staff through internal training programmes, and providing opportunities to take up nationally recognised qualifications.

Nationwide employer HEB Construction was again honoured with the award for companies with turnover over $100m and alliance projects for its holistic approach to growing its people’s capability with an extensive training programme providing work, life and cultural skills. HEB received the same award in 2023, demonstrating a clear commitment to continuous learning and development.

Rotorua business InfraCore received the award for companies with turnover between $10m and $100m. Judges CCNZ Vice-President David Howard, Connexis National Field Team Manager Fiona Malloch and General Manager Customer Engagement Andrew Harland recognised the company’s work with schools to develop future potential employees. With a comprehensive structured training programme featuring weekly study groups and mentors for every trainee, all InfraCore’s apprentices have completed a third of their apprenticeship requirements every year.

Morrinsville civil construction company Odlum Group won the award for companies with turnover up to $10m. The judges noted the company’s dedication to creating a strong workplace culture and nurturing its team’s development through internal training.

Civil Contractors New Zealand Chief Executive Alan Pollard saluted the award winners for their standout contributions to the industry.

“These individuals and companies are flag bearers for the civil construction industry, they deserve their chance to shine and we should all join in celebrating their efforts. By lifting their game, they help all of us lift ours.”

Fiona Morton of Z echoed his sentiments, highlighting the importance of celebrating emerging talent and supporting their development.

“It’s fantastic to see such promising leaders and forward-thinking employers paving the way for the future of our industry.”

Connexis Executive Director Kaarin Gaukrodger said Connexis was proud to support an awards programme celebrating employers investing in their staff and helping them grow their skills and capability.

“We are thrilled to honour these outstanding nominees. Their commitment to workforce development through creating a culture of training not only strengthens their own companies but supports the sustainability of the wider infrastructure industry.”

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