RCC Women Recognised in Top 100 Women

December 16, 2021

Two RCC team members make this year’s Top 100 Women

Our Design Manager, Angela and Contracts Administrator, Sinead, have been announced in this year’s Top 100 Women.

Each year, the brightest shining stars in Top 100 Women get nominated for their hard work and contribution to the construction industry.

This year, Angela and Sinead from RCC were selected for their dedication to delivering sustainable infrastructure outcomes in a male-dominated industry, as well as their unique ability to empower their female counterparts in the field.

Sharing Top 100 Women’s philosophy of supporting women to build lifelong careers in the construction sector, we couldn’t be prouder that two of our talented women are recognised for 2021.

Congratulations on this well-deserved commendation ladies.

Here’s what being in the Top 100 Women for 2021 means to Angela and Sinead:

About top 100 women

Founded by Tamika Smith in 2017, Top 100 Women recognises the heralding of females within the construction industry. The organisation supports women entering this field and gives them the support they need to build long and meaningful careers.

With a key focus on implementing real change, Top 100 Women aims to eliminate the obstacles women face in the broader construction sector. Transcending geographical boarders, this online platform connects women from far and wide, providing them with career development and industry support.

Meet Ana – She Loves Her Job

August 27, 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 Ana Cella – A Design Manager with the RCC Industrial division.

Meet Ana Cella. Ana joined the RCC team over 5 years ago as a Project Engineer and progressed to her current role as Design Manager. Ana says it’s the strong family values at RCC that makes her job one to love.

“Before joining RCC, I was a client-side PM and was able to work with various RCC staff on a number of different projects. I was always intrigued by the family values and team approach to projects compared to other companies”

Since joining the team, Ana says she has been fortunate enough to receive invaluable mentorship from various department leaders, which has allowed her to build her own skill set through their industry knowledge and experience.

“I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with a variety of talented individuals in project delivery, new business, the executive team and design who have all been absolutely amazing. They are all such unique individuals who have succeeded in different ways, with different approaches. They have all been great mentors by always demonstrating the company values and showing me the RCC way.”

Over the years, Ana has gained valuable experience across a number of sectors and is now primarily working with RCC’s Industrial division on 2 or 3 live projects at one time. Ana says she has been surprised by the Industrial sector, with the project designs being so much more than a shed. Each bespoke project involves detailed coordination to ensure all components work and flow together and often integrates automation or considers food or medical storage requirements which makes the design process really interesting.

“Industrial warehouses have become more sophisticated, more complex and more exciting than they ever used to be”

With her sights set on becoming a Senior Design Manager or a Design Director in the future, Ana knows she is at the right place with her family at RCC.

“When I come to work and see the Crookes family in their offices, I know I am in the right place with my family…We are lucky to have the family’s strong passion and care on every project. To me, it is very important to have that level of care from the top set the tone for everyone on each job. It’s not just about the numbers, there is warmth and care there.”

We’re proud to have a workplace that promotes strong family values, but it’s our staff that ultimately make this possible.

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.

Meet Tamara Jonson

May 26, 2020

RCC’s Group Head of Workplace Health and Safety

Tamara brings 20 + years’ experience working in high risk industries including mining, tunnelling, civil infrastructure, rail and construction to the role. We are proud to welcome Tamara, who shares our belief that positive safety outcomes are as important as productivity and quality in delivering successful projects and advancing our industry.

Educating and empowering every member of our extended team to take care of one another and go home safe to their loved ones each day forms the foundation of our safety culture.

Tamara says she chose a career in safety after seeing, at a young age, the profound and long-term impact workplace accidents can have on people’s lives and the important difference a proactive, accountable and positive safety culture can have;

“As a child I spent my holidays and weekends travelling with my dad to mines and construction sites, where he was running a cultural change program. At the age of about 10, I sat in a session with him one day and saw these miners sitting in a crib shed crying about a workmate and friend they had lost in a workplace fatality. It really impacted me, and I made a commitment to myself that this was something I wanted to work to prevent happening in the future.”

She says that connecting with people at project level, providing coaching and support to improve communication, planning and leadership, while also having an opportunity to serve them by uniting everyone to provide a safe and supportive work environment, is why she loves what she does.

“I have worked for various contractors and always found myself drawn to working for a business whose core values were based on genuine care for people; I have found that at Richard Crookes Constructions. This business allows you to be part of a family business, where you can make genuine change, with the opportunity and diversity that comes from a large contractor. From the minute I met the team I knew they genuinely care about their people as a family.

For me, a positive safety culture exists when we set high standards and expectations, communicate those standards at every level and then hold each other accountable for maintaining them.

Ultimately, it’s about ensuring that every RCC site is a safe, welcoming and productive environment. Maintaining a best-practice safety culture in line with industry advancements in technology, social responsibility, innovation and sustainability is key to achieving best-for-project results for all stakeholders.”

As a family business, our values and RCC’s legacy is important to every member of our team. As a proud Australian business, we also have a sense of responsibility to our staff, clients, project and community partners. The foundations of our business and the passion of our people is centred on delivering projects we are proud of and leaving the next generation of construction professionals with a safer, more inclusive, innovative and sustainable industry.

Meet Mo – He Loves His Job

February 28, 2020

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

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

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

Experience for Constructions’ Next Generation

October 24, 2019

Our Snackbrands project at Orchard Hills hosted over 180 students from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) last month, offering them an immersive tour of the site, as well as a series of presentations from our site team.

“I just wanted to pass on a big thank you for coordinating such a great site visit for the students last week. The feedback was amazing. One student was so impressed he’s sent a thank you note of his own with his CV!

The diligence displayed by the RCC team, ensuring every student was signed in and inducted, coordinating manageable and safe group sizes and then escorting each group around the site speaks volumes about RCC’s unwavering commitment to site safety and planning”

Craig Barry – UTS Lecturer

These Construction Management and Civil Engineering students represent the future of our industry; we are proud to be involved in their transition from classroom to construction site and give them a firsthand insight into safe and sustainable construction practice.

2017 SafeWork WHS Mentor Program

October 17, 2017

RCC’s WHS&E Advisor, Simon Dayball, has been recognised for his contribution to a local Sydney small business during his participation in the 2017 SafeWork NSW WHS Mentor Program.

Simon was paired with ‘The Highgate Group’, a small business in Warriewood that designs, builds and services play and training facilities across resorts, cruise ship clubs and defence projects.

Over the last 6 months Simon as a representative of RCC has been providing the Highgate Group with support and guidance on:

How to implement change that would be beneficial to their business
Maintaining sustainable growth within their market
Growing their understanding on being compliant with WHS legislation without impacting on their day to day running of the business.
Being an influential WHS compliant leader within their field.

Simon’s impact has been acknowledged by Peter Dunphy, the Executive Director of SafeWork NSW.

His effort has also been noted by The Highgate Group’s general Manager, Nicki Tranfield who said;

“Simon’s knowledge about WH&S and relevant legislation and his ability to pinpoint the areas I should be working on was invaluable. He was always extremely kind and gracious with his time and assistance and I feel that even though the programme for this year is finished I can still approach him in the future”

We are looking forward to continuing our relationship with the Highgate Group; and providing ongoing support.

To find out more about the SafeWork NSW WHS Mentor Program visit SafeWork.nsw.gov.au

Tag: mentor