David Hall is a man wholeheartedly dedicated to training. Not only has he worked in the civil industry for 35 years and training and assessment for more than 10 years, but he’s gained a raft of trade qualifications and has recently been recertified to ensure his Civil Trades certification remains up to date.

Last month he accepted a national award presented to his employer HEB Construction for its dedication to staff development – something he modestly says he has played “just one small part in” as the company’s Training Manager.

The Connexis Civil Training and Development Award recognised HEB’s outstanding commitment to training and development, including its strong apprenticeship programme and its commitment to helping staff gain industry recognition through Civil Trades certification.

“Civil Trades is the next piece of the puzzle after qualifying as an apprentice – it caps everything off with the credibility of a proper trade certification,” David says.

“It also makes good sense later in your career to provide extra credibility and evidence of on-the-job experience.”

David points out that the Civil Trades certification recognises competency and experience in the civil construction industry that otherwise would not be formally recognised. That’s important since there are many people who have worked in the industry for decades, some for more than 30 years, without receiving any formal documentation showing the thousands of hours of experience they have gained.

“It’s never too late to get recognition for a lifetime of work.”

When a HEB team member gets certified it inspires others to pursue the same goal, he says.

His own decision to become Civil Trades certified has been about walking the talk and practicing what he preaches.

David’s journey in the civil industry started in London when he qualified as a plumber, starting off laying water mains and rising through the ranks to become an area inspector for water company Thames Water, before cutting his teeth in engineering and project work.

After following family over to New Zealand in 2013, David found his calling working as an assessor for Connexis. He says he always took a holistic approach to helping the people he was assessing, calling them to give them support and encouragement, and telling them to give him a call with any questions on the course material if their manager was busy.

He says he enjoys seeing people learn and develop, and while the core of his work is making sure HEB staff have the support they need to complete their apprenticeships, it’s a natural progression for them to achieve Civil Trades certification.

David also takes pleasure from seeing people’s academic achievements not only further their career, but also build confidence at work as well as in their personal life.

“The satisfaction I get from seeing people achieve their qualifications – there’s nothing like it.

“It never gets boring seeing someone gain a qualification and passing their certificate to them in front of a big crowd of their peers.”

He sees Civil Trades certification as a logical next step for people who achieve a Level 4 qualification related to the civil contracting industry, as well as those who have worked in the industry for years without any formal recognition to show for it. To his mind, it’s a way for people to build their confidence, be proud of what they have achieved, and get recognised for their expertise.

“I think if you’re a civil industry tradesperson, making the best of yourself includes gaining a Civil Trades certification.”

HEB currently recognises and rewards employees on completion of an apprenticeship while encouraging and supporting their progression to further develop. Apprentices will then be put forward for Civil Trade certification to complete the process of becoming a qualified tradesperson.

The company was awarded a Connexis Civil Training and Development Award at The Civil Contractors Conference 2024 in August. It took top spot for companies with turnover of more than $100m and alliance projects, winning the category for the second straight year.

At the Z Energy People Awards, held during the same conference, HEB employee Andrew Kersten was highly commended in the Z Personal Improvement Award category.

“When our people are recognised through Civil Trades certification, they can build on that to become the leaders of the future,” David says.

David Hall (centre) receiving HEB's 2024 Connexis Civil Training and Development Award from Civil Trades Chair and CCNZ President David Howard (left) and Connexis Chief Executive Kaarin Gaukrodger (right).

David Hall on site for HEB.

* Featured image (top of article): David Hall (right) speaking with HEB team member Craig Higgins during training.