Tara Aquatic Centre and Sports Precinct Nears Completion

Works are progressing well at the sprawling Aquatic Centre and Sports Precinct at the school in North Paramatta. The development, located between the school’s existing gymnasium, multipurpose hall, oval and tennis courts, will comprise of 25 metre eight-lane Water Polo competition pool, 15 metre learn to swim pool, fitness centre and tiered seating for spectators and supporters.

The project team recently completed the core concrete structure which runs over three floors. This achievement enabled the installation of a 70 metre, 20 tonne structural steel truss lifted on top of 4 x 30cm diameter concrete columns! Two of these trusses were the heaviest lifts of the project, with an impressive 4.8 tonnes and 60 metre reach for the crane. Once complete, 150 tonnes of detailed steel will have been installed at the precinct.

Sod Turning Marks Start of Work at the Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility

Premier Dominic Perrottet was joined by Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade Alister Henskens, Minister for Planning and Minister for Homes Anthony Roberts and Minister for Transport, Veterans and Western Sydney David Elliott at a Sod Turning Ceremony to mark the start of development.

Located within the Western Sydney Aerotropolis, the diverse, dynamic and sustainable global city precinct will unlock $10 billion in private investment.

“We are building a world-class city centre that will supercharge the creation of jobs and economic opportunities across Western Sydney.

Cultivating a Resilient and Emotionally Intelligent Workforce

Women in construction are driving significant change across our business and the industry. Emma Jacob, Director at The Culture Movement, joined TWIC attendees to explore the evolution of the world of work and the way we live, detailing how we can create a meaningful, authentic and inclusive workplace by strengthening our emotional intelligence (EQ).  

EQ is directly correlated to career and leadership success, health, relationships and happiness. By strengthening our EQ, we are better equipped to manage differences of opinion, influence others, put ideas forward and build resilience – in turn enabling our own high performance and influential leadership, while fostering positive wellbeing within the workplace.  

KARI Corporate Golf Day 2022

KARI’s annual Corporate Golf Day took place on Wednesday 28 September 2022, with Team Taylor participating in a day of golf, friendly competition, networking and, most importantly, fundraising to support KARI’s Sport and Healthy Lifestyle programs.  

Congratulations to our players on an excellent round, winning first place on the day, the very talented: Ben Folkard, Gary Stein, Stephen Player, and Mark Reynolds. 

Earlier this year, KARI was officially announced as Taylor’s Reconciliation Action Plan Partner with the launch of the Annual $15,000 KARI/Taylor #WomenBreakingGround Scholarship. This initiative supports high achieving young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls and women to take up tertiary studies in construction.  

We look forward to building on this partnership over coming years, by participating in important KARI fundraising and volunteering initiatives such as the Corporate Golf Day, City2Surf, Unity Day and more.  

Wayne Bass and the WINX Stand Win Big at 2022 AIB Awards Gala

Congratulations to Wayne Bass, Senior Project Manager, and the Taylor WINX Stand project team for winning at the Australian Institute of Building’s (AIB) Professional Excellence in Building Awards. 

This accolade recognises individual building professionals who have demonstrated leadership and assisted the on-time and on-budget delivery of construction projects. Wayne Bass, Senior Project Manager, was acknowledged for his high level of industry leadership and expertise throughout the design and construction of the WINX Stand. 

The WINX Stand is a new multi-purpose entertainment venue in the heart of Royal Randwick Racecourse. The facility was designed and constructed to significantly enhance the commercial function amenities and race day experience for patrons whilst providing increased weather protection.  

Progress Continues at Bathurst MRI & Imaging Department Extension

Despite inclement weather including snow, hail, rain and strong winds, the Bathurst MRI & Imaging Department Extension site team has celebrated the achievement of various key project milestones while keeping the existing hospital and imaging department a live, operational environment.

Working closely with Western NSW Local Health District and NSW Public Works, Team Taylor has completed all external works, pouring of concrete slabs, in-ground services and installation of the structural steel framework at the modern facility.

In the coming months, works will commence on the metal deck roofing, installation of building services and external cladding/façade works.

Once complete, the single-story extension to the Ground Floor will provide Bathurst Health Service with a new MRI room, control room, anaesthetic prep area, change facilities, bathrooms, shared office and general store. The scope of works also include external alterations to the existing pedestrian walkway between the emergency department and main hospital entrances.

The Taylor team is excited to be delivering a final outcome that will make a meaningful impact in this regional area. On completion, the new extension will provide improved healthcare services to the broader Bathurst community.

Works are due for completion in January 2022.

Creating Career Pathways at KARI’s Aboriginal Employment Expo

Team Taylor and Raston Group joined forces at KARI’s Aboriginal Employment Expo, which saw more than 40 employers across construction, design, retail, health and sales connect with high school students, school leavers, young parents, first time workers and young members of the community seeking immediate employment. 

Karen Ryan,People Relations Manager at Taylor, and Dan Copping, Talent Manager at Taylor, were joined by Bruno Rao and Luke Stone, Directors at Raston Group, engaging with young people aged between 17 and 25 to discuss Apprenticeship and employment opportunities, that may come to fruition through our trusted, long-term partnership. 

Emerging Leaders Championing Change

Future Directions is an initiative developed to support young property professionals under 35 years old, by providing pathways and networking opportunities through events, committees, research and learning. 

Driven by the The Property Council of Australia, Future Directions Committees in every state across Australia, formed from representatives under 35, create opportunities for young professionals to work together, build a network and develop their career. 

This new generation of young leaders drive real world change – striving to make the world a better place for our clients and communities. By leaning into their diverse experiences and backgrounds, they exemplify responsible leadership – one that accelerates business growth, prioritises the protection of the environment and ecologically sustainable practices, finds real opportunities to make a positive social impact and strives to ensure safety is kept top of mind by all.  

Congratulations to our Future Leaders – your service and leadership play a pivotal role in the work we do, and the value we create for our clients.  

– Aaron Persson, ESD Manager 

– Christina Succar, Cadet 

– Dylan Massad, Contract Administrator 

– Elijah Rendon, Accounts Payable Officer  

– Emily Carlton, People Relations Coordinator 

– Georgia Barnes, Senior Marketing Coordinator 

– Jake Michelutti, Contract Administrator 

– Jason Gikler, Site Engineer  

– Jason Hanna, Graduate Site Engineer 

– Nick Tsai, Cadet  

– Rushanth Kumaranathan, Finance Manager  

– Steven Stamateris, Assistant Development Manager 

Exploring the Perceived Stress and Burnout of Construction Professionals

The construction industry is well known for its fast-paced, dynamic, and often complex nature. To better understand these nuances and how they impact individuals working in the industry, Matthew Famularo, Site Engineer, examined the perceived stress and burnout of construction professionals as part of his final year research project. His findings highlighted that individuals perceive, and react, to stress and burnout differently due to their unique characteristics and situational context.

To better understand this, Matthew conducted an anonymous survey of fifty-eight construction sector individuals. His survey results indicated that the top workplace stressors were tight deadlines, increasing expectations, and long work hours. Interestingly he found that age played a role in shaping their perception of stress and burnout, and further that gender added additional stressors to the mix.

Those surveyed that were aged between 18 and 27 indicated that they felt they were more susceptible than their senior counterparts to psychological worry and persistent tiredness. Young workers can experience a feeling of culture shock when entering the industry due to its high work demands and often long working hours. It can certainly instantly tip the scale of work-life balance in the other direction! Females surveyed conveyed additional stressors not highlighted by their male counterparts regarding role ambiguity, managing sexual harassment, and managing the challenges of juggling demands at home and with those at work. Additionally, Matthew found his participants perceived that highly ambitious employees and those in supervisory roles were more likely to suffer higher levels of stress and burnout.

Mental health awareness and looking to improve the mental health of our employees by developing effective methods to prevent or manage workplace stress, are critical areas of focus for Senior Leadership in the industry right now. R U OK? Day is an opportunity to talk about issues of mental health, including the effects of workplace stress on mental health in the construction industry, and the wider workforce. The day plays a key role in building a better future. By bringing awareness to the issues of mental health and by acknowledging that we can all do our bit to help improve the outcomeswe can all make a difference.

By simply showing you care about your colleagues and friends – by giving them your attention and being a good listener – you help reduce their psychological stress. Basic kindness could be the cornerstone of a healthy and safe work environment.

Many thanks to Dr. Benson Lim and UNSW for their supervision of this research project, as well as those who partook in the study.