Adding value to her humanitarian work

ESSENTIAL: Alice Burden plays a critical role in ensuring others get to do their jobs, as part of the Tairawhiti Redeployment Programme. Picture by The Black Balloon

It took a humanitarian mission to Africa, Covid and a lightbulb moment for Alice Burden to realise where she needed to be to make a difference.

The 24-year-old budding engineer is an essential part of the Fulton Hogan ranks in the Tairawhiti Economic Support Package Redeployment Programme. Her role is critical to the re-metalling of unsealed roads project as an onsite engineer and the eyes and ears for the company which is contributing to the $14.6m project.

Twenty local workers are employed on the project, which will be split into three phases — supply, cartage and placement. It will see around 95,000 cubic metres of aggregate laid on some of the region’s most susceptible roads.

Alice will be part of the team to do quality assurance checks and report to managers, putting to good use her six years’ experience in the world of engineering. Fulton Hogan struggle nationwide to fill cadet and graduate engineer positions and without Alice, a number of people would not be able to do their job.

She is not far off completing a degree and has worked in both vertical and civil construction organisations.

In January she travelled to Uganda to help Purpose Projects, a national and international non-government organisation (NGO) set up by university friends with a focus on education, health and working alongside locals to help them complete essential infrastructural projects.

“Purpose Projects was set up to avoid the trap of volunteer tourism, and supports a Ugandan NGO working to help develop their people through their own strategies,” said Alice.

Her month in Kkoba was both empowering and humbling, and included working with a women’s group to help them gain financial independence through establishing an online business supporting international buyers to purchase their handmade crafts.

“I felt becoming a civil engineer would help me add more value to my humanitarian work.”

She started putting feelers out to see where she could gain a cadetship to further both her studies and experience. She joined the Tairawhiti Redeployment Programme through the Ministry of Social Development and is now working towards gaining her Diploma in Civil Engineering.

“Humanitarianism is my passion but I am also rediscovering my passion for civil construction.”

Her role at Fulton Hogan is quality control across the metalling project. She is also hoping to get more involved with the community and work alongside groups that help others.

“Weirdly, Covid has been good for me in a way. I am so lucky to have been given this opportunity, working for Fulton Hogan — the environment is amazing. You just don’t get this sort of support and opportunity usually.”

As a company Fulton Hogan is keen to continue to develop those who are interested and show promise for the future of the industry.

The road re-metalling project is one of five that are part of the $23.755m Redeployment Programme which was established in response to the impacts of Covid-19 and aims to provide work and training for up to 200 people.

It is funded through the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, administered by the Provincial Development Unit and managed by Gisborne District Council. All those on the programme come through the Ministry of Social Development to ensure all not only find work but pick up new skills, qualifications and the opportunity of meaningful, long term employment.