From labourer to junior site manager – Jakob’s “Key Skilled” journey.

Jakob came to the site through Key Skills as a lead labourer. He was there to do the usual graft, shifting gear, keeping things moving, but it became clear within days that he had more in him.

At Key Skills we’ve got a saying “You got Key Skilled.”
It’s what we call it when one of our short term hires gets offered a permanent role. It doesn’t happen by accident, it’s the result of hard mahi, a good fit on site, and a client who sees the value in keeping someone around for the long haul.

We get pretty excited when it happens. So excited, in fact, that we hand over a sign that says “I Got Key Skilled” and make a bit of a fuss. Because for us, it’s more than just a job title change, it’s proof that short term work can go permanent.

Jakob’s story is one of those moments.

Senior Site Manager, Antony Bennett, didn’t waste any time putting Jakob to good use. Instead of sticking to basic site tasks, Jakob took charge of the passive fire documentation system the team had built in-house. He’s now running that process, as well as leading four other labourers on site. He’s also the one making sure materials and deliveries get where they need to be.

That’s not a small list of responsibilities, and it’s why Antony has already started training Jakob as a leading hand and junior site manager.

For Jakob, it means stepping up into new responsibilities, learning how to lead, and getting recognised for the effort he’s putting in. For the client, it means getting more than just a pair of hands. They’ve got someone who already knows their systems and people, and who’s worth investing in.

We call that being Key Skilled. When a placement sticks, grows, and adds value beyond the original brief.

Thanks to Antony and his crew for backing Jakob, and to our recruiter Josh Galuszka for matching the fit. We’re looking forward to seeing where Jakob takes this next.