Meet Mo – He Loves His Job

February 28, 2020

In celebration of being awarded the 10th Best Place to Work in Australia by Great Place to Work, RCC has interviewed 10 employees who love their job. RCC is honoured to have such passionate employees who jumped at the opportunity to share what they do, and why they love it.

 

Meet Mohommed Dunia. Mo’s journey with RCC began just over 2 years ago when he joined us as a cadet.

As a Construction Management student, Mo undertook a Cadetship with RCC to access paid employment and gain practical industry experience early in his degree. Mo Says that the rotational program structure across various roles in the business allowed him to better understand his strengths and interests before deciding on his chosen career path.

“Doing the RCC cadetship meant I had the opportunity to rotate between engineering, design, estimating and planning and contract administration. I initially wanted to be a Site Engineer but after working as a Contract Administrator on our Quartet project in Lane Cove, I knew that’s what I loved.

I have had other roles in the industry, and I like that RCC view cadets differently. They really care about and invest in you.”

Mo told us that for a university student starting his degree, the opportunity to gain broad industry exposure in such an immersive way helped him acquire the diverse skills needed to pursue a long-term career in construction, which is just one reason he loves his job.

It made us proud to hear that our varied program structure allows the future leaders of our business to make informed career decisions and ensures they are well rounded in whatever particular role they choose to pursue.

“The exposure I gained in my cadetship means I now have an understanding of estimating and engineering and I bring this knowledge to my role as a Contract Administrator on every project. For you to be successful in any one position, whether it’s CA, Site Engineer or Estimator you need to understand the other roles and their function and outcomes.
Doing the cadetship gave me the confidence to do things without second guessing myself.”

Within two and a half years, Mo progressed from a Cadet to a confident and capable Contract Administrator. Now working on the iconic Walsh Bay Arts Precinct project on Sydney Harbour, Mo brings an infectious enthusiasm to the job – something he says is a reflection of how supportive his team is of him and his goals as a young professional in the industry;

“I love RCC because at the end of the day, we’re all working together. Once you get the work done you can enjoy the successes with your team.
I have a lot of mentors here and I know if I need anything, I can always call on them.”

With his sights set on eventually progressing to a Project Manager role, Mo says he feels confident that RCC can provide him with the right support and development opportunities to achieve his long-term goals. But for Mo, it’s the added bonus of RCC’s family values that make this journey special.

“We’re excited to see each other at work because of the real sense of family here. I’ve been here for 2.5 years and I’m very comfortable.”

 

MORE ABOUT OUR CADET PROGRAM

The RCC Cadet Program provides first-hand experience across various aspects of our business through a structured 2-year, rotational program. Cadets rotate between four areas of the business to gain exposure across a variety of roles and ensure they build the skills necessary to progress upon graduation.
The program is designed to provide employment and on-the-job experience to students as well as support their studies so when they graduate, they can make an informed decision about their career path and step into a fulltime role in their chosen area.

 

MORE ABOUT WALSH BAY ARTS PRECINCT

As Managing Contractor on the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct project, RCC is responsible for the design and construction of this redeveloped public arts and cultural hub on Sydney’s waterfront, whilst preserving the industrial heritage of the existing structures.

Stages 1, 2 & 3 are currently underway and involve the delivery of:

  • Demolition and upgrade of existing arts facilities on Wharf 4 & 5 for the Sydney Theatre Company, Sydney Dance Company, Bangarra Dance Theatre, Sydney Philharmonia, Gondwana and Song Company;
  • Adaptive reuse and upgrade of facilities and performance spaces on Pier 2 and 3 for the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Bell Shakespeare and Australian Theatre for Young People
  • New commercial retail spaces throughout the precinct
INTERESTING PROJECT STATS
  • 10-15km of electrical cabling in Theatre 1 alone
  • 800 tonnes of structural steelwork has been installed on Wharf 4/5 with 700 tonnes of steel yet to be installed for Pier 2/3
  • Just under 290,000 site hours have been worked so far (that’s nearly 33 years)
  • A site boat is utilised for under-wharf inspections, rather than land machinery

 

 

Retirement Living to Reach New Heights in Waitara

January 29, 2020

The Kokoda Residences has been given the green light, marking an early milestone in the delivery of this modern multi-storey seniors living tower in Waitara, on Sydney’s North Shore.

The Kokoda Residences signifies a new trend in the aged care and retirement sector, aimed at providing residents with the benefits of community-style living and easy access to important services and transport with close proximity to central city areas.

“We’re confident that the project delivery team will ensure a quality building that will complement the Vasey portfolio. This development will truly allow us to return a vibrant senior’s community to Waitara.”

Kate Gunton – Chairman, Vasey Communities

Kokoda Residences will set a new benchmark for retirement living, offering a vertical community hub complete with 117 independent living units over 12 storeys. Kokoda’s multi-storey tower design will offer residents the option of one, two or three bedroom apartments located in close proximity to the restaurants, cafes, arts and cultural attractions in the surrounding suburbs.

We are honoured to have been selected as the Managing Contractor to partner with Vasey Communities, a not-for-profit organisation that specialises in the development of secure, independent residential accommodation for members of the community in need, particularly those with a defence connection.

“We have a proud history of providing retirement living communities across Sydney and this project is a key plank in our village modernisation program.”

Kate Gunton – Chairman, Vasey Communities

With Australia’s population of 85 years and over expected to increase from 1.8% to 8% over the next 3 years, RCC appreciates the significant contribution that the Kokoda Residences will make to meeting the future demand for aged care and independent living communities.

RCC is committed to supporting the ageing populations in the communities we live and work in, and we look forward to applying our 30+ years aged care and retirement living experience to delivering what will certainly be a superior retirement living accommodation facility, and a cornerstone in Vasey Communities’ growing collection of retirement communities across Sydney.

“Both Vasey and RCC have a rich history built around integrity and care. These shared values and our specialist Retirement Living experience, will allow us to collaborate with the stakeholder team to provide a market leading facility and a home for future residents.”

– Rod Burger, General Manager of the Aged Care & Retirement Living Division RCC

 

More about the Kokoda Residences

The Kokoda Residences project consists of a new multi-storey tower offering 117 Independent Living Units over 12 levels of habitable community space with direct access to allied health, mixed retail and commercial services, multi-purpose recreation, meeting rooms and 2 storey basement parking.

The Kokoda Residences is part of the Vasey Communities’ growing portfolio of seniors living accommodation across Sydney and is scheduled for completion in 2021.

View more of RCC’s retirement living projects here.

Read more about Vasey Communities’ growing aged care living portfolio here.

 

 

An Exhausting and Rewarding 100km for Lifeline

RCC couldn’t be prouder of members of our Newcastle team who pushed themselves to the limit for a worthy cause – the Newy100 team completed 100km in 18 hours to raise awareness and a staggering $50,000 in funds for Lifeline Direct!

Alan McCully and Adrian Connell, both from our Newcastle office, were part of a crew of 15 local Hunter athletes who took on the Newy100 – This monumental 100km by foot event was organised to raise awareness and much needed funds for the suicide prevention and crisis support service, Lifeline Direct. The funds will go to the Lifeline Direct Newcastle and Central Coast branch who have been providing the local community with free access to counselling, crisis and bereavement support services for years.

“On behalf of Lifeline in Newcastle and the Hunter we were honoured to have the Newy100 team choose Lifeline as their charity partner. The fundraising team is very lean and work extremely hard to raise funds to sustain the centre so we are extremely grateful for the monies raised which will support our local centre in Islington.

I was very fortunate to be present over the 18-hour event and witness the camaraderie and determination of the Newy100. And the final 10km, what a wonderful sight; the community support and connection synonymous with what Lifeline represents.”

Julie Wicks – Regional General Manager, Lifeline Direct

For the weeks leading up to the event, RCC’s extended family and the wider Newcastle community showed an enormous display of support that certainly helped the team surpass their initial $10,000 goal. Alan, RCC Project Engineer and brave Newy100 finisher, said the incredible generosity just goes to show how much the issue of mental health and support services like Lifeline resonates within the local community – and particularly the construction industry.

“Mental health affects so many families, particularly those working in our industry. Organisations such as Lifeline are so important for our community – they literally save lives. The reason I wanted to get involved was not just the personal challenge but because the money raised stays within the local Newcastle community.”

“To say we are grateful and humbled is an understatement.”

Alan McCully – RCC Project Engineer

The team also invited the local community to join them for the final 10km, 5km or 2km of the mammoth 100km event, which generated another huge display of support, despite the rain.

Congratulations to the Newy100 team for your huge achievement; RCC is certainly proud to have two of their own showing such a selfless commitment to the community!

More About Lifeline Direct

Lifeline Direct is the local delivery arm for Life Australia and is an amalgamation of local offices that share administrative and other support services. The Newcastle and Hunter regions are particularly underfunded, so any donation large or small is very much appreciated.

Click here to show your support for the Newy100 and to donate to Lifeline Direct Newcastle/Hunter.

Read more about Lifeline Direct’s services.

 

 

 

Meet Neil – He Loves His Job

In celebration of being awarded the 10th Best Place to Work in Australia by Great Place to Work, RCC has interviewed 10 employees who love their job. RCC is honoured to have such passionate employees who jumped at the opportunity to share what they do, and why they love it.

 

Meet Neil Coubrough. This year marks Neil’s 20th anniversary at RCC. With two decades at RCC and a career in construction under his belt, Neil’s seen the enormous growth and evolution the industry has experienced since well before 2000.

But despite an evolving industry, Neil says the culture and camaraderie at RCC has remained steady, and combined with the security his job offers him and his family, Neil says there’s very little reason why he wouldn’t love coming to work each day.

“I think the reason why I love working at RCC has a lot to do with the people and the culture. To me it’s not about the money, it’s about working with a team and a culture that you can genuinely relate to.”

At the turn of the century, when Neil’s RCC journey began, the company was undertaking its first multistage development at the Liberty Grove Residential Complex, ahead of the huge influx of visitors for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. Over the next two decades, markets would fluctuate and RCC would take on more projects across various locations and sectors. But despite a growing team taking on larger and more complex projects, Neil says RCC values have remained consistent.

“We’re all one team and we’re all trying to work to the same goal. There’s been a lot of industry change over the last 20 years, but the RCC name and the quality of everyone working here has remained the same. You come to work with your friends. Everyone wants to be here and I think that’s great for the team and the project.”

After starting out as a Sub Foreman and progressing to Site Supervisor, Neil now works within our dedicated Aged Care and Retirement Living division and is currently delivering the landmark M by Montefiore project. Throughout his career, Neil has gained experience across the various aspects of a Site Supervisor role, from structures, to facades and finishes. Now specialising in finishes, Neil’s especially thankful for the way RCC has shown consistent support for his strengths over the years.

“With RCC you have the opportunity to go from being a foreman to a project manager, to a construction manager, if you want to. For me, my path is doing what I do best, and that’s working with people on site and making it all happen on the ground. This is where I’m happy.”

Neil says his approach to managing large teams is simple;

“I think I earn people’s respect because I do what I say. If you say you’re going to get an area ready or do a certain job, you do it. Being true to your word and working safe are important RCC values for us and our clients.”

As one of the project’s go-to men, Neil’s job is all about delivering certainty to his team and the client, Montefiore. Whilst Neil says he loves his job for many reasons, he said that the certainty and security RCC has given him over the years has made the biggest impact on him and his family.

“Feeling safe and being secure is a big thing for me and RCC has always given me that.”

Neil was nominated by his colleagues for the infectious positivity and hard-working attitude he’s brought to RCC for the last 20 years.

Neil’s experience speaks volumes about RCC’s unwavering culture and camaraderie despite the growth and evolution of the industry. By valuing our teams, and specifically their unique strengths and development, a sense of security means people like Neil can become valued, long-serving employees.

 

MORE ABOUT ‘M’ BY MONTEFIORE

Neil is currently a Site Supervisor on the $106m ‘M by Montefiore’ project.

The development consists of 79 luxury Independent Living Units in Sydney’s Randwick. Each apartment features high-end design and quality finishes, setting a new benchmark for quality retirement living.

 

MORE ABOUT OUR 10TH BEST PLACE TO WORK STATUS

The Great Place to Work assessment is a feedback-based study obtained from a confidential survey of our 700+ employees. It involves an independent audit across areas like hiring and integration, health and wellness, as well as workplace culture. In celebration of being awarded the 10th Best Place to Work in Australia, RCC is interviewing 10 employees about why they love their job.

 

Learn more about Great Place To Work Australia and their 50 Best Places To Work Study.

 

 

Meet Gabby – She Loves Her Job

December 20, 2019

In celebration of being awarded the 10th Best Place to Work in Australia by Great Place to Work, RCC has interviewed 10 employees who love their job. We’re honoured to have such passionate employees who jumped at the opportunity to share what they do, and why they love it.

 

Meet Gabby McGinness. Gabby is a Contracts Administrator based in the ACT. Since joining RCC, just 18 months ago, Gabby has grown to love her job for the mentors, and for her potential to develop and progress with the company.

“After starting with RCC a year and a half ago in the CA role, I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with Bob Anthony and Dave Archbold who have both been long serving RCC employees – over 20 years. They have been great mentors by always demonstrating the company values and showing me the RCC way.”

As a young cadet, Gabby says she was fortunate enough to receive invaluable mentorship from another female CA she describes as ‘strong, capable and determined’. After working hard to progress to a similar role, Gabby has now been a CA for four years – undoubtedly emulating the same hardworking attitude as her first female mentor.

“I’m working towards Senior CA at the moment, but long term I’d like to be a Contracts Manager. I’d love to manage all the head contract administration and take on more client liaison. The role also appeals to me because of the opportunity to manage and mentor a team in the same way I have been mentored.”

Gabby says that the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion with staff of various ages and levels of experience creates a positive culture and an environment where personal development and mentorship are accessible opportunities for everyone.

“There’s many times that I’ve been the only female on a project site, but I still get treated the same and have the same opportunities as my male counterparts.”

Belonging to a close-knit family herself, Gabby loves her job for the familial bond she’s formed with her team, and says site is a home away from home for her.

“My upbringing has taught me that there’s nothing more important than family, and that’s who you go above and beyond for.

When I joined RCC, I noticed this company has that same feeling within the project team and different business sectors. I think it is great that The Crookes family promote that family company mentality and invite everyone in the company to be a part of it.”

With her sights set on a prosperous career in the construction industry, it’s talented individuals like Gabby that make RCC’s team culture a supportive one. We’re proud to have a workplace that allows for progression, growth and fulfillment, but it’s our RCC family members who ultimately make this possible.

MORE ABOUT THE ANU SA8 PROJECT

The SA8 student accommodation project for the Australian National University (ANU) involves the design and construction of 1031 student accommodation beds with single occupant rooms in 8 buildings across 5-8 storeys. Designs for both SA6 and SA8 buildings are based on student surveys, emphasizing the importance of communal spaces and encouraging greater interaction between students, their families and the campus community. Having delivered the SA6 Bruce Hall Redevelopment project for ANU in 2017, RCC was honoured to be selected as the university’s construction partner to deliver the current SA8 development.

MORE ABOUT OUR 10TH BEST PLACE TO WORK STATUS 

The Great Place to Work assessment is a feedback-based study obtained from a confidential survey of our 700+ employees. It involves an independent audit across areas like hiring and integration, health and wellness, as well as workplace culture.
2018 was the first year RCC entered the assessment and we were thrilled to be awarded 17th Best Place to Work. Within a year, we rolled out a number of new initiatives to better the experiences of our people. To be recognised as the 10th Best Place to Work this year is a credit to our continued commitment to ensuring that everyone at RCC genuinely looks forward to coming to work each day.

Learn more about Great Place To Work Australia and their 50 Best Places To Work Study.

 

Happy Holidays and Thank You

December 17, 2019

Merry Christmas!

To our entire extended family, thank you for enjoying the journey with us this year; we wish you a safe and happy holiday season.

It has been a pleasure working with you in 2019 and we look forward to continuing our partnership in 2020.

 

 

If you would like to hear more about the projects RCC has delivered, then take a look at our PROJECTS.

If you want to know more about our history and our team, then take a look at WHO WE ARE

 

 

Emergency Contacts – Holiday Closure 2019/2020

Our offices and sites will be closed or operating with reduced hours throughout the holiday season between the 20th of December 2019 and the 2nd of January 2020. We have provided a list of emergency contacts for all projects in the event that you need to get in touch with a member of our team during this time.

​We wish everyone a happy and safe festive season and new year!

Emergency Contacts – Holiday 2019-2020

$140K For The Children’s Hospital at Westmead

December 6, 2019

Our generous extended family have donated more than $140K to The Sydney Children’s Hospital at Westmead. This incredible fundraising has been led by RCC’s Industrial team, who are known within our business for their great hair… as well as their big hearts!

Last night more than 40 staff lost their hair for Bandaged Bear and presented The Sydney Children’s Hospital at Westmead with the donation. Only a few weeks ago the team decided they would like to raise funds for the worthy cause in the lead up to Christmas, committing to shave their heads to generate donations.

Claude, RCC’s General Manager of Industrial, said the generous donation had started with the team themselves and then received support from family, friends, clients and project partners who got on board for the charity;

“Donations from our business partners including subcontractors, suppliers and clients highlight their generosity and how aligned our entire extended family is in our values and commitment to giving back to our local community. I’m extremely proud of the team; its humbling to see them apply the same commitment and passion to this cause as they do to their work every day.

It means a lot to everyone at RCC knowing we have been able to give back to an organisation that touches the lives of so many sick children and their families. We had a choice to shave our heads, but the kids don’t have any choice in being sick… We are grateful for what the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation do each day and being able to be part of that is really rewarding”

Claude Concha – General Manager, Industrial

Claude, whose young son also volunteered to shave his head, said that he was proud to work for a family-based company that encouraged community contribution and to be surrounded by likeminded people who all wanted to jump on board and do something meaningful.

Michal Cohen-Noble from the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation said she was overwhelmed by the figure and grateful for the donation;

“there are many things we can do with an amount of money like this. It’s just absolutely unbelievable” and said such a significant contribution could be used in so many ways; “with this amount we can fund many different things like high priority equipment, on our list that could potentially help in critical emergency care surgical theatres, a fellow which would help any of our departments further the education of our doctors”.

Michal Cohen-Noble – The Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation

 

 

More about the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation

The Children’s Hospital at Westmead is able to care for 84,000 sick children and their families each year as a result of community support and fundraising.

Learn more about their valuable work.

 

 

Meet Jack – He Loves His Job

November 27, 2019

In celebration of being awarded the 10th Best Place to Work in Australia by Great Place to Work, RCC has interviewed 10 employees who love their job. We’re honoured to have such passionate employees who jumped at the opportunity to share what they do, and why they love it.

Meet Jack Reggers. Jack joined RCC in his final years of his engineering degree. Starting in a Graduate role that allowed him to study and gain practical experience in the industry, Jack is now a Site Engineer on our Opera Residences project, delivering one of Sydney’s most exclusive future residential developments.

“I love my job and I love what I do, but I think 90% of that is because I come to work with brilliant people every day.”

“At RCC, you actually feel like someone. From the Project Manager right through to the cadets, you can feel that everyone truly values each other and the company we work for.”

With a family of more than 700 employees, we are committed to ensuring our teams feel familiar and well connected. On a site with over 100 individuals, Jack says the RCC team’s culture and mateship creates an environment which keeps them on track; delivering high quality projects whilst genuinely enjoying the process along the way.

“We have meetings with our clients, subcontractors, consultants and architects and everybody sits in the same room to listen and collaborate. Everyone is talking and working together to get the job done.”

“It’s one collaborative project team pushing in the right direction.”

Jack loves his job for its challenges, and for the colleagues he says have become his family. Nominated the 10th Best Place to Work in our category in Australia, we’re thrilled to employ passionate people that genuinely enjoy what they do and provide them with a supportive environment and positive company culture to thrive in.

More About the 10th Best Place to Work

The Great Place to Work assessment is a feedback-based study obtained from a confidential survey of our 700+ employees. It involves an independent audit across areas like hiring and integration, health and wellness, as well as workplace culture.

2018 was the first year RCC entered the assessment and we were thrilled to be awarded 17th Best Place to Work. Within a year, we rolled out a number of new initiatives to better the experiences of our people. To be recognised as the 10th Best Place to Work this year is a credit to our continued commitment to ensuring that everyone at RCC genuinely looks forward to coming to work each day.

More About the RCC Family

If Jack’s story has left you wanting to hear more about what its like to be part of the RCC family then watch this space – we are planning another 9 employee interviews over the next 9 months.

In the meantime, check out this video to hear from other members of our team.

 

More About the Opera Residences

This project includes the construction of 104 high end apartments over 19 levels, three levels of retail space and 6 levels of basement parking within the busy Bennelong Point precinct. Public domain works involve a stairway from Circular Quay to Macquarie Street and a general upgrade to the Circular Quay Public Domain.

 

 

 

MBA Excellence In Construction Awards

November 12, 2019

RCC would like to congratulate our project teams and subcontractor, consultant and supply partners involved in delivering the Regiment student accommodation project at the University of Sydney campus in Darlington and the Shortland Correctional Centre in Cessnock.

These collective teams who worked on these projects received an award last weekend at the NSW ‘Excellence in Construction’ Awards gala event.

Regiment Student Accommodation
University of Sydney
NSW MBA Award Category:
Student Accommodation Buildings up to $100m		 Shortland Correctional Centre
Justice Infrastructure
NSW MBA Award Category:
Public Buildings over $50m

 

For us, success is about completing a development that RCC, our clients and our project partners can all be proud of. Congratulations to everyone who played a part in the design and delivery of these award-winning projects.