Stevenson’s cadetship programme is aimed at school leavers and young people who are thinking about a career in the quarrying industry. The cadets follow a two-year structured training programme where they rotate through various areas in the business. This allows them to explore a range of jobs that Stevenson offers and discover their preferences.

Learning and Development Advisor Teresa Marx says, “Our cadet programme creates a pathway into the Aggregates business. It is designed to develop young individuals with operational skills, leadership capability and technical competencies all within the supportive Stevenson whānau.”

Cadet Alandra Du Plessis is currently working in the Health and Safety team at Drury quarry alongside Health and Safety Advisor Mabel Hema and the Environment and Quality team. “I am not an office person, and although I found the lab interesting the paperwork was not a good fit for me. I’m enjoying working in health and safety as no two days are the same and it is a lot more hands-on than I thought it would be,” says Alandra.

She adds, “Cadetship is an amazing experience where you can explore your options. It is a wonderful opportunity and my advice to anyone in a cadetship or thinking about applying for one is to give it your all. Put in lots of effort and learn as much as you can about the job.”

During their time at Stevenson, the cadets have the opportunity to achieve a Level 2 NZ Certificate in Mining and Quarrying. This takes around seven months to complete with cadets then moving to the Level 4 National Certificate in Extractive Industries (Mining Administration Surface Extraction B Grade Level 5) which is a two-year qualification. “The programme encourages young cadets to develop their future working lifestyle with us, so we set them up for success from day one by assigning mentors and buddies throughout their two-year rotation,” says Teresa.

Renée De Thierry is a Limited Service Volunteer (LSV) graduate. She was beginning a career in retail but she struggled to find her passion. After her time with LSV, Renée joined the cadetship programme and started working towards the Level 2 NZ Certificate in Mining and Quarrying. Renée enjoys the rotations through the business, “I know a lot more about what I want to do and what kind of person I am,” says Renée.

All four cadets are located at Drury quarry in Auckland. Cadet Troy Leonard found out about the cadetship programme through a family friend who worked in health and safety. Troy likes that he is getting hands-on experience while learning new skills. He has worked in the lab and with the sales team and is now starting his rotation in the workshop. “I am looking forward to learning how to weld and do maintenance, I think I’ll really enjoy it,” says Troy.

He has only been in the programme for four months and he is already noticing the life-long skills he is developing. “The people here are kind, friendly and easy to talk to. They are helpful if you make a mistake. I’d encourage others to try a cadetship as you can try new things and learn life skills along the way that are not just used around the quarry.”

Samuel McLoughlin originally applied to be a lab tech but was introduced to the cadetship programme by Teresa as he was also interested in working in the quarry. “It’s a good opportunity to go through the different departments and learn more about them,” says Samuel. He has spent some time in the lab where he found it interesting to learn the background behind why testing is done and said the best part about it was the people. Stevenson has supported Samuel in getting his Class 2 license which allows him to drive the dumptrucks. “I’m keen to learn to drive the diggers and loaders, I might as well take the opportunity to learn more, I’m keen to give anything a go.”

Samuel has been at Drury quarry for 7 months, 4 of which have been in the quarry where he enjoys a variety of jobs and is interested in learning more about mobile crushers. Samuel says, “A cadetship gives you the chance to pass through different areas and learn more. Every job will have its boring parts, so you have to be patient. I’m really lucky to have the opportunity.”

Teresa is extremely proud of the four cadets, “They are a diverse group of people that bring their individuality to the business. Their willingness to learn and grow will be an asset to the future of Stevenson Aggregates.”