In complex work environments where thousands of decisions are made daily, where risk feels high and variables seem endless, trust is the only antidote to keep things moving.
Nathan Seivwright, a Fabrication Supervisor for Schlam, has this quality in bucket loads. Sadly however, Nathan is moving on after six years with the company and this month, we bid him farewell. Unlucky for us, but an exciting time ahead for Nathan, his story demonstrates how important it is for employers to invest in their people and support them throughout their careers. The loyalty that it fosters and the longevity it breeds speaks volumes in an ever-transient workforce. Spending six years with one employer is often a rarity in the mining industry.
With a replica Hercules truck perched under his arm as a parting gift, we sit down with Nathan to reminisce on his time spent with us.
Nathan has been a loyal employee of Schlam over the years, saying that he particularly liked the appeal of its family-owned and humble roots.
He received the call-up at the start of the West Angelas contract when he was working labour-hire in Telfer and initially spent two years on the tools. He says that the team and the company have gone from strength to strength since.
“Schlam has invested in its people to become leaders, rather than shipping in new leaders,” he explained.
Nathan uses himself as an example, saying that Schlam paid for him to complete his Diploma of Leadership and Management at South Western TAFE, which he completed during his West Angelas appointment.
As he reflects on his time at Schlam, he reminisces on his fond memories of observing others moving up the ranks and developing their careers. In particular, he believes that developing people has been the highlight of his time with the company.
“Helping to get people up to industry standards, and eventually becoming some of the best tradespeople he has come across, has been very rewarding.” He said.
Some of the crew he has helped to nurture have gone onto work on leading OEM brands and excelled in their careers, something which he feels proud to have witnessed.
Seivwright’s advice to others who are looking to advance their leadership skills is simple – “Always behave and act like the job you want to get.” He believes being open-minded and coachable are keys to success.
“Being coachable is a big thing, not everyone knows everything and there is always much more to learn” he continued.
Dan Hilmi, Schlam’s Fabrication Services Manager, saw Nathan’s progression from his infancy stages within the company, through to his Diploma and into his supervisory role.
“Having watched Nathan grow and develop his people skills has been a privilege” Dan said.
Having highlighted the vast growth in his interpersonal skills, Dan also recognises that Nathan’s biggest contribution was his ability to be the conduit between the managers, the team and the customers.
“He has basically been the glue that has held everything together, the meat in the sandwich so to speak. He’s been an integral part of the growth of our business, and he leaves on great terms.” Dan adds.
With his boiler-making roots running deep, and a long-standing career at Schlam, Nathan’s final words are encouraging.
“Whilst this rare opportunity has presented itself to move on from Schlam for now, I’d definitely come back again!” he said.
Schlam recognises the importance of treating its employees with respect, especially those with a great work ethic. We take great pride in watching the career progression of our team unfold and seek to support them in nurturing their skills and talents.
We wish Nathan all the very best in his future endeavours and look forward to the prospect of him (hopefully) returning to us someday
