Teamwork makes things work
BRETT Lake has worked on and off for Complete Asset Management (CAM) in Dubbo for about five or six years and says he’s thrilled at the way the company will give everyone a chance to have a go.
“I’d been basically labouring all my life but I ran into CAM Director Alan “Herb” Herbert, down the street there one day and he just asked me how I was going, we’d known each other for about 15 years and he’s always said the door’s open here if I was looking for an opportunity,” Mr Lake told Dubbo Photo News.
“In this company here at the moment there’s a big percentage of Aboriginal workers so he’s willing to give people an opportunity and it’s then basically up to them.”
Mr Lake says it’s incredibly important that people can walk in the front door without skills for the job and find a company that’s willing to look towards the long term upskilling of a local labour force and nurture people who may not have had opportunities of career advancement in their lives.
“Oh that’s the good thing about it, they come in here and they help people who don’t have much education and the blokes in the field, they’re just as handy too, they’ll guide you through and help people learn the difference between right and wrong,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter with the education, they’re willing to help and they do a pretty good job there – if you’re willing to have a go, I recommend that you come and see these guys, they’ll bring you up to speed with the training and give you the opportunity to make something of yourself.
Working while he’s being interviewed, putting new handles on dozens of tools as part of regular maintenance, Mr Lake said he’s seen many people walk through the door with little in the way of formal education, and weighed down with a history of struggling to obtain decent worthwhile employment.
He said they’ve had their lives completely turned around in multiple positive ways.
“That’s the good thing about it, Herb doesn’t look for your HSC or your previous history or track record and stuff like, he’s willing to give you a go if you’re willing to dig in and have a go,” he said.
“Everything they teach you here, it’s all by the books, everything’s done correctly and you can just come in green and they’ll show you everything they can here at the shed and when you get out there on the job site the blokes are willing to help and they’ll just kind of feed you through the system and make sure you’re right.
A major part of the success, he said, was how hard yakka in an outdoor work in a crew, working with people who become your mates, makes the days seem far shorter and much more fun.
“You meet a lot of characters and also the amount of travelling that you do, it’s a good way to see around NSW, the pay’s good and the blokes, you make friends from the job sites and you all get along, have a good laugh and get the job done, there’s no dramas.
He likens the CAM culture to Footy team where people may feel tired or sore, but they’ll get out of bed at 4:30am and go to work because otherwise they’ll be letting their team mates down.
“You can’t let your mates down, if you do see a bloke lagging a little bit, we all chip in there and help each other out,” Mr Lake said.
“I’ve lagged myself there and I’ve had a couple of blokes help, that’s part of the crew I ‘spose and that’s what makes it worthwhile and makes sure it goes well.”