18 | Topline Contracting T T Richard Loader Community work recognised at awards Topline Contracting’s Taurus Taurima – “I’m very proud of the work we do.” “My goal is to encourage them to not be one of those bad statistics and hopefully in the next twenty years we will have turned the tide, and maybe the Training Academy will have contributed to that.” T T to page 20 REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT In the Hawke’s Bay city of Hastings there is a humble, yet inspirational, young Māori business owner by the name of Taurus Taurima, who eight years ago founded a paving and roading company called Topline Contacting out of the back of mate’s car with a wheelbarrow on the backseat. Today that company is a Tier 1 contractor, operating throughout the Hawke’s Bay, providing a diverse range of services including concrete reinstatement and construction, asphalt and chipseal reinstatement and construction, civil construction, and traffic management, employing a team of 60, and running an extensive fleet of vehicles. Along with providing support to local schools, sports groups and the local youth, through Taurus’ vision Topline Contracting has also established a Training Academy with the goal of transforming unemployable young people, referred to as cadets, to employable members of the community. The Academy has been operating for the last two years. Last year, Topline Construction’s significant community contribution was acknowledged at the Hawke’s Bay Business Awards, winning the Outstanding Social Impact category, along with the Supreme Award. In fact, nominations were also received for Hawke’s Bay Leader of the Year. Taurus is not one to seek the limelight, and had it not been for the intervention of his management team, neither award submission may have progressed. “At the time we were just very busy and I felt we didn’t have the time to put a submission in, and also I preferred not to enter the Leader of the Year category. “I do my work and what we do in the community because I enjoy it, not because I’m looking for a pat on the back. “But my management team felt that because someone had nominated us for the Outstanding Social Impact award, we should respect that, and put the submission in for that category. “They also felt it provided recognition for the work we’re doing in respect to helping young people, and that other companies might be inspired by that. “The judges are from other local companies and they interviewed the team. It gave a lot of people a lot more understanding about how our company is managed and what we do for the community.” Eighty percent of the cadets who go through the Training Academy are young Māori. Taurus points out that while Māori are a small percentage of New Zealand population, they are over represented in both the men’s and women’s prisons. “My goal is to encourage them to not be one of those bad statistics and hopefully in the next twenty years we will have turned the tide, and maybe the Training Academy will have contributed to that.” The Training Academy takes 15 young cadets at a time and puts them through a twelve-week programme, and after a successful completion Taurus guarantees them employment. “If they become drug free and develop the positive attitude we really encourage, my guarantee is that they will be one hundred percent guaranteed of employment on completion of the programme. “I will go out to companies like Downers, Fulton Hogan, Higgins, and Unison. But if I cannot find employment for them, I employ them, even if we don’t have a place for them. The programme is partly subsidised by the government, but there’s still a large amount of money that we have to contribute to run the programme.” Each year 45 young cadets, with very limited opportunities and prospects are put through the programme, with a very high success rate. • Topsoil • Drainage and Crushed products • Builders Mix • Crusher Dust • Sand • Plant Hire • Concrete and Asphalt Recycling Phone Dani: 021 269 3102 84 Rangitane Road, Whakatu Deliveries Hawkes Bay wide - Etfpos Available Congratulations to the Topline team on their success. Proud Suppliers to the Topline Team
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