Stevenson Laboratory Tertiary Engineering Awards

Sponsoring a $500 award for top performing civil engineering diploma students at both Unitec and MIT has more than paid off for Stevenson Laboratory.

Stevenson Laboratory is a successful civil engineering materials testing facility specialising in providing fast turnaround bulk testing of aggregates, concrete, masonry, paving and soils. For many years it has provided an annual award to top civil engineering students at MIT and for the past two years it has done the same for Unitec’s top engineering students.

The laboratory recently presented a $500 award for top performance in Unitec’s Diploma in Engineering (civil) for geotechnical engineering to Greg Richardson, who graduated from Unitec at the end of 2007 and currently works for Harrison Grierson Consultants.

‘It’s great to know that companies are willing to support and encourage study within the engineering industry,’ says Greg. ‘It was encouraging to be presented with an award for achievement. I’d like to thank Stevenson Laboratory for providing the award.

Building relationships with the polytechnics and sponsoring achievement awards enables us to get the Stevenson name in front of a new batch of engineers,’ says Laboratory Manager Jayden Ellis. ‘We’re building awareness of what we do early on, so that later, when graduates are looking for work, for technical advice or materials for their projects, we’re top of mind.’

Taking on bigger and more diverse and challenging jobs at the laboratory relies on recruiting staff with the right skills and attitude. Jayden sums it up: ‘Young, keen and fit. I’m looking for motivated free thinkers, good communicators, and self-starters who don’t need to be watched every five minutes. I want people who are capable of making sound decisions based on extensive in-house and external training and on-the-job experience.

He says that other spin-offs from being involved in sponsoring tertiary engineering awards include the opportunity to mix with a lot of industry people. ‘We’re also seen as young-people-friendly. We gain insights into the workings of the education system and any changes in the curriculum, as well as a sense of the calibre and numbers of students who are potential recruits for our laboratory.’

‘There’s a great support network at the lab. Our younger staff are a mix of full-time and part-time and are at different stages of their education. Most of us have completed the engineering diploma so we can help them with advice and encouragement along the way.

’The laboratory offers more than just a job and training. ‘Our education assistance programme enables people to work and study part-time. The laboratory will pay the course fee for every paper they pass. After they have completed their studies they’ll be bonded to Stevenson for two years.

‘It’s a great outcome and it means they’ll be committed to our lab. Their hands-on experience will enable them to get a head start on their peers who are studying full-time,’ says Jayden.