Jason has worked for TJ for six years, supervising various project sites across the southern region. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his four children and taking his youngest son fishing when the weather allows!
It’s an extremely varied role! It involves everything from dealing with the lorries as they come in, directing and instructing them on where to go and what to do, to liaising with contractors, customers, architects and surveyors. I’m basically managing all the different elements of the project, I’m the ‘face’ of the site if you will. Everyone comes to me with their queries and I ensure they get sorted on a day-to-day basis.
That said, I’m very hands-on as well and I love nothing more than being in my bulldozer getting on with the job – 9 times out of 10, that’s where you’ll find me! I deal with people efficiently and professionally so I can get back to the physical task, which is what I enjoy most.
Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always been around plant! I’ve had several lorry driving jobs in the past and I started my career at TJ as a tipper lorry driver before moving into this role. When I left school I trained as a mechanic and from there went onto jobs in plant operation, construction and groundworks – you name it, I’ve done it!
I love the challenge that comes with driving and operating the bulldozer, it’s not simply a driving job, you’re using the vehicle to do what you need to do, which is largely landscape construction. It’s like starting with a blank canvas and from there you’re building something, creating something.
I’m currently constructing a driving range at a local golf club and it’s great to know that when we’re finished, it’s going to be used by many people and enjoyed for years to come. Clients often change their minds mid-way through projects so it’s our job to stick to the plans as much as possible, whilst also being flexible in order to accommodate the client’s wants and needs to ensure a positive outcome.
The first site I supervised for TJ was Churt – an old quarry in Surrey that we were refilling responsibly using inert soil to return it to arable land. It was there that I learnt to drive and use the bulldozer, as well as learning how to deal with lorries as they’re tipping and how to manage them, so my time there was very useful and very rewarding too.
Seeing the end result – what you’ve achieved when it’s all finished – is extremely rewarding. At the moment we’re building a driving range and by the end we’ll look at it and think: “we did that” and that’s a great feeling.
The biggest challenge is managing the lorries – no two lorry drivers operate in exactly the same way so figuring out how to work effectively with everyone, as well as manage client expectations, can be challenging! But I work hard to achieve the best results for all involved. Communication is key in ensuring everyone is happy with the plan of action and what will happen when.
I’m really proud of the work I did when I was supervising the Churt site. We managed to keep it running throughout the winter months without any dramas, ensuring the site was ticking along as it should. It’s now completely filled and grassed so it was a job well done and I was pleased to be part of it.
The mix of people that you get to work with is great. They’re a good bunch and I’ve always got on well with everyone, we have a laugh but also get the job done well and safely. Everyone going home safe at the end of the day is always my top priority.
Meet more TJ team members and find out more about the services we offer and the work we do.
Here we talk to Woodhorn’s Commercial Director, Mike Jupp, about the partnership that has grown between TJ and Woodhorn over the years. TJ began working with Woodhorn around 11 years ago, after Mike got in touch with TJ’s Commercial Director, Steve Grant, who he knew from many years ago.
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At Butser Quarry, our products and services are tailored to serving the construction industry and beyond. We’ve built up many strong partnerships over the years and since acquiring the quarry, we’ve been pleased to supply our own aggregates to these valued customers.
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