Beginning his career in IT overseas, New Zealander Joseph Fuikefu was inspired to enter the construction industry through regular chats with family members working in FIFO roles.
Their stories sparked his interest, encouraging him to make the move to Perth in 2011, where he began his career in construction as a technical assistant in the mining sector.
Getting into construction
From beginning as a technical assistant in civil engineering, Joseph has embraced every opportunity for growth, moving seamlessly from one role to the next,
"The opportunities are there in WA," Fuikefu explains. "You just have to be willing to take them.
“My first role I started off as a TA in civils, helping out with labouring and concreting. Then I transitioned over to steel fixing and that. Over time, the opportunities were put in front of me where I was able to get my dogging tickets and my riggers tickets and my crane tickets. Then I transitioned over to forklifting, so I’m a man of many hats.”
Seizing every opportunity
A man of many hats, and a desire to push himself, Joseph then decided to leave the mining sector and move into oil and gas.
“I wanted to learn something new,” he says. “Transitioning over from civils and the mining sector to oil and gas was a whole new learning experience for me from the normal types of work I was used to. But I didn’t want to finish every year, wondering what I’d accomplished that year. I wanted to grow.”
Management calling
His dedication paid off when an unexpected opportunity arose during Christmas 2023. Staff shortages gave Joseph the chance to step into a training role, where he now inducts new starters. His responsibilities include ensuring workers have the right skill sets and confidence to operate all the machinery safely and professionally.
“The opportunity sprang upon me at Christmas,” he says. “A lot of people were on holiday, they were short-staffed, and I happened to be in the right place at the right time. It just started from there, it began to snowball, and we are where we are today.
“My role consists of inducting and verifying the competency of the new workers who come onsite. That means making sure that all of the workers have got the right skill set and the confidence to use all the machines on site. So, I run them through all the elevated work platforms (EWPs) and work in high procedures and rigging, as well as crane procedures.
“My job is just to give them the thumbs up to make sure that they are all clear to come and work on site and work safely and professionally.”
A career with job satisfaction
Throughout our interview, Joseph emphasises not only the opportunities available within the industry, but the personal satisfaction his role provides him.
“The most rewarding thing about my job is when I finish all my inductions and get recognition for what I’ve done with them throughout the day. When they give me the handshake and the thank you, that says they’re happy and they know a fair bit more than when they stepped on site, and I’m satisfied that everybody feels safe and able to operate the machinery.”
How to get into the construction industry
For those considering a career in construction, Joseph has this practical advice: "Start with your basics - your white card and basic labouring tickets. Get your experience in labouring and TA work. Working as a TA gives you a broad spectrum of what happens on site and helps you identify which role you're attracted to."
He also discusses the importance of motivating oneself.
“In the WA construction industry, there’s a lot of opportunity for growth, but it comes down to the person themselves. They have to want to be able to do the task. There are a lot of opportunities presented to us, but a lot of people are led to the water but don’t want to drink. Both parties should be able to contribute. That means making your success everyone’s success.
A final recommendation
When it comes to recommending the construction industry as a career for the future, actions speak louder than words. And when the time came, Joseph was more than happy for his son to follow in his footsteps and take a job on-site.
“I asked the supervisor to let me know if there were any opportunities coming up. When one presented itself, I went through the process of getting him up here and it’s been a success.
“The first year of us being up together was quite hard, with him transitioning from residential construction to oil and gas, but he’s done good for himself. He’s way more mature than he was and it makes me feel really proud.”
Clearly, the construction industry doesn’t just build structures, it builds character too.
How CTF can help you
If Joseph’s story has inspired you to learn more and you’re interested in a job in construction, contact CTF to learn about ways into the industry.
There are a number of pathways and school-based traineeships available, as well as other routes and financial support available through CTF.
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