Site Manager Nicholas is quietly helping people bring their dream home to life - in the midst of a pandemic. He shares his journey…and a story of self-realisation.
Nicholas stands on the deck of a new family home he’s building in Mount Burrell; the surrounding hinterland is shadowed with lush green foliage. In an oasis of serenity, he reflects on his career.
“I had no idea where life would take me, but I knew that I always wanted to do a trade. I completed my carpentry apprenticeship in 2002 and worked as a builder for ten years. Then I had an opportunity to work in Port Hedland as a Maintenance Coordinator so my partner and I packed up and began a new journey.”
After living regionally for eight years, Nicholas and his partner were ready for a change of stomping ground again. He was already working towards obtaining his builders licence - so when a friend recommended he apply to Metricon as a Site Manager in Northern New South Wales, it was a no-brainer.
Four years on, Nicholas is thriving in his role as Site Manager in the Northern NSW team. He’s responsible for the customer journey - from planning and building the house, all the way up to handing over the keys. Nicholas says he chooses Metricon for three reasons: the teamwork, support from leadership and importantly, his connection to customers.
“We have such a good team - that’s one of the main things for me. Everybody is on the same page - we work together to get results for our customers. Another aspect is the support from above; management is always there for us."
"They give us the tools and the help we need to do the best job we can. And once we’ve completed a project - that’s a great feeling. You know you’ve really helped someone reach a milestone. It’s very satisfying.”
When COVID-19 was declared a global health crisis, Nicholas, like so many, was worried about what it would mean for his career. But he was relieved to see Metricon rise quickly to the occasion.
“Like everyone, I was initially concerned. At first, I didn’t know what was going to happen; I thought the building industry was going to shut down. But in reality, it’s been the opposite. Metricon has done a fantastic job at ensuring we’re still delivering for our customers - all while keeping everyone’s spirits up. Since the introduction of the HomeBuilder Bonus to help Australians build their first new home, our job list hasn’t stopped growing. I’m currently busy looking after twenty house builds!”
And while his working days are getting busier, Nicholas says he’s grateful for the ability to work remotely, to be present with his family and assist with home-schooling.
I’m thankful that Metricon is supporting us in these challenging times. Despite the nature of my job, Metricon made it possible for me to work from home and also to work safely on sites. We would normally have fifteen to twenty people working on a project at one time, but we’ve scaled this back to practice social distancing.
Considering how Metricon has handled the pandemic, Nicholas says he’s grateful to work for a company that values communication.
“We’ve been receiving updates from Metricon several times a day. My managers have also been calling me to see how I’m going. This pandemic has made us even more connected.”
As our conversation draws to close, Nicholas leaves us with one final thought:
“I get a kick out of helping people make their dream home a reality. Even during these changing circumstances, I know I can keep doing it, because I have the right support behind me.”
Thank you, Nicholas, for the passion and commitment you bring to our team and customers every single day.
For more information, head over to our Careers page for current job vacancies.
