Meet Josh: Field Lead Civil Works

I start each week with my team, briefing them on the work ahead. Our days are full and can change depending on the weather. We could be working on concrete footpaths, paving or drain cleaning.

Being on the coast, we also get to work on setting up big events on the beach too, like moving tonnes of sand for the Moseley Beach Bar, or Fringe festival.

As Field Lead, I try to mix jobs up for the team. Everyone seems happier doing it that way, learning how to different things across the team and not getting stuck on a cutting truck all year.

I ended up in council work in a very roundabout way. I left school at 15, did a Certificate III in Commercial Cookery, and was a chef for 18 or 19 years. But the split shifts meant I was never home.

I then got an HR truck licence and did rubbish pick-ups, but when a chance to help out with some landscaping work came up, I took it. It was meant to be a few weeks, but that turned into 8 years and a Certificate III in Horticulture.

After a few injuries – landscaping is a completely different level of fitness! – I was looking for something new, and Holdfast Bay took me on. I’ve been here for 5 years now.

"There are awesome opportunities, and you can go anywhere in council. I say go for it, 100%."

When I came on, all I knew about councils is that they did footpaths and potholes, but I quickly saw that they’re down at the beach doing loader work, they’re doing stormwater, they’re doing a lot!

It was a bit daunting coming in at the start, but I got to do lots of different types of work, and after the initial 6 months I’d gotten the hang of things.

In commercial landscaping, I was working 12 to 13-hour days to get projects over the line, and there was a lot of driving, too. Local council? That’s just down the road. Here, we’re always busy, but we work our hours and then the day’s done – we don’t take the work home with us. It’s a much better way to live.

If you’re willing to move up and progress in other areas, the council is open to it and willing to help you. I’ve completed my Certificate III in Civil Construction and a lot of different machine tickets.

There’s a lot of room to move if you want to go up or try different work – the council backs you 100%. They don’t say, ‘No, this is what you’re doing. This is who you are.’ When you come in positive and willing to work, you are rewarded. There are awesome opportunities, and you can go anywhere in council. I say go for it, 100%.