Maintaining our position as the world’s largest geotechnical contractor means having a continuous pipeline of talent and attracting the best people early in their careers. We spoke to three employees from around the world about why they chose Keller and their experiences so far…
Jonathan Maranga, aged 24
Project Engineer
HJ Foundation, US
“Even before high school I’d worked in construction – my dad’s also in the industry, so it’s something I’ve always been interested in,” says Jonathan, who joined HJ in July 2017 after studying civil engineering.
“I had a phone interview with the director of project management and then I came down to Florida. Once I saw everything HJ does – the set-up here, how efficient everything is – I couldn’t believe it, I wanted to learn everything.”
Jonathan joined HJ’s training programme, PILE – Preparing Individuals to Lead with Excellence, which gives new starters the opportunity to experience different parts of the business. “It’s hard to manage or estimate if you don’t actually know what the business does out in the field, so PILE gives you the chance to spend time out there and then you can choose where you want to work.”
After several months, Jonathan found his niche in project management and joined the department full time at the end of July 2018. “I love it,” he says.
“I’m a people person and have built up good relationships with my colleagues. A couple of the projects I’ve been working on – a student condo building at a Florida International University and a warehouse at a marina in Fort Myers – are now finished, and we’ve almost completed another job in the port of Miami for a new cruise terminal.
“I really like the fact that HJ has a small-company feel but we have the support of a huge company like Keller and the opportunity to work with others such as Case Foundation and Hayward Baker.”
Rhian Swan-McCay, aged 20
Trainee Engineer
Phi Group, UK
Rhian joined Phi’s Leeds (UK) office in October 2016. She started out creating CAD drawings before getting involved in designing retaining walls and estimating and managing jobs on site with the support of her manager, Tom Rowbottom, and other senior staff.
“I knew I wanted to go into engineering, but wasn’t sure which type,” says Rhian. “My dad is an engineer and I’ve always liked maths and problem solving. Then I saw the Phi apprenticeship advertised and it looked interesting.”
Rhian enrolled on a two-year day-release course at Leeds College of Building to study for a BTEC Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment.
She recently completed the course and has now started her degree at University studying Civil Engineering, something Keller is supporting her with.
Rhian was the only girl on her course when she started and so relishes the chance to encourage other young women to follow in her footsteps. As such, she’s joined the Wise Campaign, which promotes women in the STEM disciplines – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics – and involves her visiting schools to spread the message.
“It’s all about breaking down stereotypes,” she says. “More girls are getting into engineering but nobody really talks about civil engineering. I’ve been into schools to show girls that civil engineering isn't just for men and isn’t just about building things.
“I’ve really enjoyed my time at Phi so far. I enjoy how I am involved in all stages of the projects from initial enquiry to design to watching it being built on site. I’ve also engaged in the commercial aspects of my projects by looking over the contract ensuring we can agree to them. This gives me a broader experience seeing the project through from start to finish.”
Sam Heaton, aged 21
Heavy Mechanical Diesel Fitter
Keller Australia
Sam joined Keller straight from school in 2014.
“I’d always been interested in mechanics and I was able to take a school-based apprenticeship during my final two years,” he explains.
Sam plays a crucial role in keeping projects on schedule by carrying out daily maintenance, servicing and repairs of the machines on site.
“I love working on the machines, they’re really complex and they always keep you thinking,” he says. He’s currently looking after the cutters, cranes, cable grabs and piling rigs on a large project for Melbourne Metro.
One of the highlights for Sam was spending almost a year on remote Koolan Island for a project, something that took him out of his comfort zone but he thoroughly enjoyed.
“Keller’s a great company to work for. People have always been very good to me here and I’m looking forward to working on more big projects in the future.”