Hawke’s Bay 23-year-old Marcus Ingram has come a long way since he first stepped into an excavator to clear roads and remove mountains of silt from orchards in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Earlier this month he was named Hawke’s Bay East Coast’s top operator after winning the region’s excavator operator competition, earning him a spot in the Civil Contractors New Zealand CablePrice National Excavator Operator Competition next year.

Marcus says he had operated some machinery in the past, but it became clear he had a talent after he started mucking in on a small excavator to help his brother-in-law clear silt that was choking trees in a Hawke’s Bay orchard in March 2023.

While most construction workers don’t start off being behind the controls of an excavator, the cyclone meant there was urgent need for skilled and steady hands behind the controls for people with passion and energy.

“I always wanted to drive diggers or become a helicopter pilot. After jumping on diggers I’ve enjoyed it ever since.”

Marcus picked up a short-term job with Galbraith Earthmovers at that time. And, after returning briefly to an old job driving tractors, co-owner Kelly Galbraith called him with an offer he couldn’t refuse – to operate excavators full-time.

Since then, Marcus has been at the sharp end of the Hawke’s Bay cyclone recovery efforts. He started off reconnecting isolated communities by clearing debris from blocked roads, before specialising in maintaining and rebuilding forestry roads on rugged terrain where banks can slip away and entire road sections drop out.

“I began with tidying up slips, it was a good start to get into diggers and tighten up my skills,” Marcus says.

“Building forestry roads in general on really steep terrain is always challenging, but it’s good fun.”

He says being involved in the cyclone recovery effort has been satisfying and demonstrates how civil infrastructure specialists play an important part in supporting their communities in times of need.

“It’s always good to help out people and open communities back up. It’s been a team effort and it’s great having been a part of it. I’ve learnt a lot during that time too.”

He credits his success and rapid skill development to a patient approach of “watch, listen and learn”, as well as having exceptional mentors.

Past Hawke’s Bay East Coast excavator operator competition runner-up Connor Edwards has had a big input on his career, he says, as has working under Steve Galbraith, a legend in the excavator-operating scene who won the national competition in 2016 and 2017.

While most operators don’t end up in competitions, Marcus says they can be a good way to test yourself and showcase the skills involved in excavator operation to the next generation. He will compete in the 2026 edition of national excavator competition at Central Districts Field Days in Feilding in March, facing other regional champions for the title of New Zealand’s top operator.