A Career Pathway in 3 Waters

Nick Irvine returned home to Central Hawke’s Bay after completing 2 years of study at the University of Canterbury, looking for a change of direction, with the hope of working in a field with guaranteed job security. Jobs in Central Hawke’s Bay were able to connect the dots with local 3 waters contractor Veolia. Operations Manager Alex Horne, saw room for a role to be created within the 3 Waters and Veolia space and, after meeting with Nick, hired him as a Compliance Administrator within the Community Infrastructure and Development team.  

So far Nick has really enjoyed both the team dynamic and the broad scope of the role. “There are a lot of different avenues to explore, whether it’s business, engineering, projects and chemistry.” After getting involved in the project management side of his team, Nick saw there was space to grow in this area and decided to pursue a certificate in Project Management with Millpond Project Management Institute. Veolia invested in him by funding this training, which he is halfway through.  

Nick plans on building experience in his current position, and once completing his Project Management Certificate, has the option to work internationally. Veolia have locations all over the globe and 179,000 employees worldwide. He said the team environment was a big part of why he would stay in Central Hawke’s Bay, and that the experience he was gaining working under Alex Horne and Wayne Termaat (Relationships & Outcomes Manager) was invaluable. “This is a great starting point as the contract covers all three areas of water – drinking water, wastewater and stormwater, which will mean the scope of the experience I’m gaining will open up a lot of options for future career pathways.”