Monique Schouten joined Schick Civil Construction at the start of 2020 and was working as a Site Engineer on a large Waikato project. “Managing a civil contract has lots of moving parts and you’re constantly problem-solving to keep things on track,” said Monique. “Being at the start of my career, the project threw up a lot of interesting but difficult challenges that stretched my capability”.
After gaining this invaluable experience as a Site Engineer, Monique realised she no longer had the desire for her role anymore. So as part of a regular coaching/mentoring programme, Monique worked with the Waikato Regional Manager Ryan Smith, to find a new role within the Group that would both challenge her technically and stimulate her intellectually, while still benefiting her long-term career aspirations.
Two years on from that daunting change in career, she has found her place as a Survey Technician, and she is relishing the opportunity to learn new skills and grow her career in a different direction. “I always had a keen interest in surveying, and now with the chance to step into the team full time, I’ve found I have a real passion for the work.”
Monique has grabbed the opportunity to develop her surveying skills, and Survey Manager Terry Callander has been impressed with Monique’s growth since joining his team. “Since Monique came into the team, she quickly went from having just a rudimentary understanding of survey principles, to being the lead surveyor on many of our Waikato projects,” Terry said. “Her eagerness to learn and develop her skills has helped her to become an indispensable member of the team”.
Looking back, Monique sees the time spent working as a Site Engineer as a great example of how challenging times are often the most rewarding. “In hindsight, I’m actually glad I got to work on those jobs even though I probably wouldn’t have said that at the time,” she said. “The challenges I faced gave me a real appreciation for the depth and breadth of knowledge needed to lead projects. I also learned a lot about myself personally.”
Monique knows she has the ongoing support within the Schick Group to step into more senior roles, including contract management, as she progresses through her career. With her eagerness to learn and with the experiences she has built to date, there is no doubt she will remain an integral part of the Schick team, long into the future.
If like Monique, you’re interested in building a rewarding career, head to our careers page to learn more about working within the Schick Group of Companies.
