32 | Fulton Hogan East Coast - 2022 CCNZ Hawke’s Bay East Coast Awards REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT T T Richard Loader Chloe’s world: “I’m living the dream” Chloe Edwards received the Hunter Donghi Memorial Trainee of the Year award at the 2022 CCNZ Hawke’s Bay East Coast awards. Multi-award-winning Fulton Hogan Hawke’s Bay team member Chloe Edwards has a story that is inspirational for anyone who hits a brick wall, but refuses to give up. At 17 Chloe dropped out of High School, uncertain about her future and had no plan. Her dad was a plumber and suggested a trade might be worth exploring. Taking the advice, Chloe considered all the trades but was intrigued by the technicality of water and so thought she would follow her dad’s footstep and enter the plumbing industry. Doing the right thing, she completed pretrade plumbing at Hawke’s Bay’s Eastern Institute of Technology, but then the fun began. Over the next four years Chloe knocked on the doors of all the plumbing businesses in the Bay several times a year, begging for an apprenticeship only to told that the trade was not for girls. Frustrated by repeated rejections, Chloe turned to an employment agency and told them of her aspirations. They told her that their agency was only involved in civil trade, but by chance they had a vacancy going with Fulton Hogan Hawke’s Bay. It was plumbing, but on a much larger scale; would she be interested? “For my interview I was driven around a couple of sites and just fell in love,” says Chloe. “It was plumbing times a thousand. Suddenly I have gone from wanting to join 20mm pipe to joining 800mm pipe. “Fulton Hogan does pipeline construction, so we do all the capital works projects for Councils and in 2019 I became a pipeline construction apprentice. “I did that for a couple of years then eighteen months ago I got promoted into management and became the new connections coordinator looking after a third of the HDC three waters maintenance contract.” Last year her employer nominated her for two industry awards; The 2022 Water NZ National Water Trainee of the Year, and the 2022 CCNZ Hawke’s Bay East Coast Hunter Donghi Memorial Trainee of the Year award. “Nomination for the awards themselves was pretty unbelievable. I remember when my boss, Martin Cummings, called me into the office to tell me that I had been nominated for the Water NZ Award. When we discovered that it was actually a national award I thought, wow, this is a lot bigger than I expected, how did I get here?” Chloe attended the award night in Christchurch in October, with Martin at her side. A video captures Chloe’s expression of sheer shock and surprise as she was announced winner. “The first thing on my mind was that I had never worn high heels in my life, and I have to walk up on stage in front of 750 people — don’t trip up. Even though the award was five months ago, it still has not quite sunk in. “I had spent so long trying to get into the water industry, and finally made it, and I thought I was just getting along doing my thing and suddenly I have just won this national award. I mean I was up against some of the best people in the country. I think what is just so cool is that I am one of the only females I know of in the industry down here, and for someone who did the whole gender battle just to get into the industry to suddenly get a national award as a female was huge. So it was, you can do it, and you can be very good at it.” A couple of weeks later Chloe was told that she had been nominated for the regional CCNZ award as well. That award was held in November at the Hastings Opera House and this time she was accompanied by her very proud dad. What made that award even more special for Chloe was that it was Hunter Donghi’s award, and the award now carries his name. “Hunter was a work brother and we worked together quite often. “Hunter worked so hard to get that award last year, and just made it in time before he Contact us to find out more: Hillmac Electrical are Proud to be a key contractor and supplier to Fulton Hogan. “Solution Focused” Hillmac Electrical 11a Martin Place, Havelock North admin@hillmacelectrical.co.nz 06 877 9156 www.hillmacelectrical.co.nz Hillmac have a diverse team that can provide electrical solutions for your Residential, Commercial, Solar and Industrial requirements. Hillmac also provide solutions for all your Fibre and Data requirements. passed away. It was very emotional for me.” Reflecting on her future, Chloe says there are so many pathways that have opened up to her. She has just completed her Level 4 Certificate, and is qualified in pipeline construction. But for now, the young lady who was denied a plumbing apprenticeship has gone back on the tools because she is about to start studying for a Diploma and get her trade certificate. “I will do infrastructure asset management, get trade certified, then go from there. I didn’t realise until recently that there were other career paths I could take from here. “I look at how far I have come in four years, so anything is possible. “I’m living the dream and I love what I’m doing. I love this job. “Dad is absolutely stoked; he loves that I am in a trade and successful after watching me battle trying to get a plumbing apprenticeship.” “The first thing on my mind was that I had never worn high heels in my life, and I have to walk up on stage in front of 750 people — don’t trip up.”
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