Get Your Hands Dirty

Today I sat down with Blue-Con Construction’s Equipment Manager, Nathan Blight, to peer into the world of heavy machinery. We spoke of women in construction, safety changes and all things machinery.

How long have you been with Blue-Con?

This April will be 20 years. I started in 1999.

That’s a long time. You’ve been in the industry long enough to see it evolve. What changes have you seen?

Safety has definitely changed. When I first started, it was nothing for someone to be working without any safety clothing. No hard hat, no vest. Now we don’t even think about it; you just do it.  There have been huge changes in equipment safety too. The functionality of the equipment is better – backing up alarms, broken windows are fixed. As a supervisor, I spend about 20% of my day thinking about the way we are doing things and whether it’s being done safely.  I need to see what those under me might not.

Have you ever been hurt?

Only minor scrapes and bruises but I have seen other’s hurt. That’s why safety is so important.

Is this something a woman could/should get into?

A woman would certainly be able to do the work; they would just have to do it differently. There is still a stigma surrounding the construction industry, that it’s a men-only field, but that stigma is breaking down.  Truthfully, women are great multitaskers, better than men, and that would be very helpful in the shop.

What would you say to a young person who is thinking of becoming a heavy equipment mechanic?

Do it! If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty, there’s always lots of work in the industry.  It’s honest work and you can become successful. I have.

What sort of schooling do you need?

You need 10,000 hours of apprenticing which includes 9 months of schooling. And in order to enter an apprenticeship, you need your high school diploma.

What are the pluses to your job?

I like the variety. Every day is different. The people are great too, both the people I work for and the ones I work with.

What would you say is the hardest part?

Scheduling – allotting the appropriate number of hours to each job can be tricky.

  

If you had it to do all over again, would you chose the same career path?

Absolutely! Blue-Con has given me lots of opportunity to improve myself and to grow.  I’ve enjoyed my work and my place of work.

Before we finish, tell us something about yourself that isn’t work related?

Two things: I love to snowmobile and for the last 8 years I’ve coached AAA hockey.  My team is the Huron Perth Lakers Bantam AAA.

Thank you so much for your time. I really appreciate it.

No problem at all. It was my pleasure.

The Midas Touch

By Gabrielle Ferguson

It’s a new year! What better time than this to reflect on successes and mistakes of the past year and launch improvements. One lesson I learned many years ago is this:

If you want to excel in something, find someone who already does and ask them how they do it. 

Recently I sat down with Joe Haasen, CEO of Blue-Con Construction, a multi-million dollar excavation company in London, Ontario, and asked him for his secret to success.  Here are his ten tips.

1. Be able to take a risk.

This is number one! Don’t be afraid; be knowledgeable. Take a deep breath and leap but only for things you thoroughly understand.  Plus, by the time you’ve done the required extensive research, the risk is greatly minimized.

2. Surround yourself with great people.

Can you detect passion in people? This will make you successful. Your people will make or break you. Then, similar to a coach, once you’ve discerned the strengths of each person you hire, do everything you can to foster and grow them.

3. Know your industry.

If you know nothing about cooking food, for heaven’s sake, don’t open a restaurant. Know your market otherwise your business will be belly up in no time. Having a dream doesn’t excuse you from the hard-slugging preamble.

4. Get up early.

Your sharpest hours are the ones before noon. Rolling out of bed at 10:00 a.m. isn’t going to set you ahead of the pack.

5. Use common sense and creativity. 

It isn’t all about book smarts. Conceiving brand new ideas requires a delicate balance of creativity and common sense. If it’s in a book it’s been done before which, by extension, often leads to humdrum-already-been-done ideas. 

6. Stop feeling sorry for yourself.

Dust yourself off after a setback. Such a crucial life skill! Get up, stand up straight and move forward. Don’t wallow! No one ever said this was going to be easy. Or smooth.

7. Be okay starting at the bottom rung.

Don’t expect to start at the top. In fact, it can be to your disadvantage if you do. Working your way up the ladder affords you vital insight into what those people encounter day in, day out. You may think you appreciate their struggles but without firsthand experience, it’s only imagination, not genuine knowledge.

8. Don’t put on a show.

If you don’t have the money to back it, don’t pay for it. Flashing gifts and goods around when your bank account is in the red is worse than futile; it’s financial suicide.  You can act the big player but eventually the truth will surface and it has a harsh bite.

9. Treat your people fairly.

Being miserly will cost you in the way of talent. Money is easier to replace than exceptional staff.  You don’t have to be extravagant but you do have to be fair.

10. Believe in yourself.

Every person has something to offer the world that is unique to them. If you’ve done your research, if you’ve got the passion and drive, if you’re willing to start low and aim high, then believe you can make it.