This year’s Civil Contractors New Zealand CablePrice National Excavator Operator Competition is set to make history, with not one, but three female regional champions set to rumble onto the field of competition for the first time in its history.
The grand finale of 12 regional excavator operator competitions held across the country promises to be a thrilling showcase of excavator expertise, putting finalists’ nerves of steel to the test as they go bucket-to-bucket to try and win New Zealand’s ultimate excavator operator accolade.
Held annually in mid-March during the Central Districts Field Days in Fielding, the competition challenges the country’s best operators to complete crowd-pleasing feats like slam dunking a basketball, precisely pouring a cup of tea or playing Giant Jenga using their excavator buckets. Basic skills are tested too, with health and safety compliance while navigating the course making up a key part of the judging criteria.
Georgia Lyford representing Canterbury Westland, Lydia Hill hailing from Nelson Marlborough and Tanya Claxton representing Hawke’s Bay East Coast make up the wave of women winners ready to reshape the usual lineup at Central District Field Days in Feilding.
Georgia, a drainage operator from Schick Civil Construction in Christchurch, is the youngest of the trio and dedicated her qualifying win in the Canterbury-Westland regional event to inspiring other young women.
“I’m only 23 so it will be cool to go to the finals in Feilding and prove to all the other young girls considering a career in civil construction that we can do it too.”
Another trailblazer is Blenheim-based Lydia, who learnt how to operate excavators on the family farm when she was 14 years old. She has been honing her skills ever since, including on large projects in her region like the new Whale Trail from Picton to Kaikōura.
Lydia works for Elite Excavations, and qualified by winning the Nelson-Marlborough leg of the competition. She says she’s looking forward to meeting Tanya and Georgia for the first time as well as other top operators from around the rest of New Zealand.
“I don’t have any expectations other than having a good time and rating it as an experience. I’ve heard things get pretty serious – it should be great.”
Lydia says it’s “mindboggling” that women have never competed at the nationals before.
“Hopefully we get some more women from the last couple of regions that come through to compete. I’m super excited – the boys have got to watch out this year. Go girls!”
She says she and the “sisterhood” are clear examples that women can mix it with the best when it comes to expert excavator operating.
“Times have changed and now is the ideal time for women to build a career on heavy machinery.”
Waipukurau woman Tanya says she’s looking forward to “showing the boys that the girls can do it” at the nationals and will have experience on her side – having tackled her first regional competition in 2006.
Currently working as a foreperson for Higgins, she says she expects the nationals to be “next level” compared to the Hawke’s Bay East Coast competition she qualified through, or anything else she’s done.
“It will be down to the best person on the day – there’ll be lots of operators there and they’re all skilled in their own right.”
She says being a successful excavator operator doesn’t depend on gender, instead it’s all about character.
“I don’t think it matters whether you’re male or female, it depends on your attitude, personality and your work ethic. If you want to do it just do it – women can do anything.”
Civil Contractors New Zealand Chief Executive Alan Pollard says it’s fantastic to see the trio of female operators in the lineup for the nationals.
“Hopefully this sisterhood of regional champions will inspire others by reminding them that roles in the industry are open to everyone and, with determination and skill, anyone can succeed.”
Alan says the event is also a chance to highlight the industry’s demand for skilled machine operators.
“Whether it’s aging pipe networks or demand for new roads, the infrastructure challenges we are facing across New Zealand are becoming increasingly acute. The industry needs more skilled excavator operators as well as other keen people to fill a range of important roles.”
The national excavator operator competition is a celebration of the talent, determination and diversity within New Zealand’s civil infrastructure industry as well as the supreme test of excavator expertise with unrivalled bragging rights going to the winner.
As Georgia, Lydia and Tanya prepare to compete on the national stage, they’re not just vying for the title of New Zealand’s top excavator operator – they’re also inspiring the next generation to consider a future in civil construction.
To see how they go in the competition, watch out for updates on the competition Facebook page.
If you reckon you have the skills to succeed in the industry, explore the range of available career paths with our Careers Roadmap and engineer your future from the ground up.
