People in the Spotlight – Matt Peters

Tell us about what inspired you to join the construction industry. 

When I was a kid growing up in Melbourne, my dad was (and still is) a Senior Site Manager in the commercial building sector. Some of my school holidays were spent on site helping with clean up and labour, so I knew very early on that I wanted to be involved in the construction industry. I wasn’t much of a student growing up and in my early teenage years, I knew that the university path was not for me. When an apprentice carpenter position came along during my year 11 studies, I made the choice to leave school and embark on a career in the construction industry. From the first day, I enjoyed being a part of a team, working toward a goal and achieving it. I was always curious about how buildings were put together and I liked working in an environment where you could continually learn new things, work with people from different backgrounds and skill sets, and walk away with something to show for all your hard work. During my time in the construction industry, I have been an apprentice Carpenter, a Leading Hand, a Site Manager, a Site Engineer, a Project Manager and now I’m the Manager of the Sunshine Coast business unit. Working with a great team of BADGE staff, repeat clients and subcontractors helps to keep me inspired about what we do. Building relationships in the community where we operate and being involved in buildings all around the Sunshine Coast are added bonuses, plus building in winter in Queensland is a lot different to my early days in Melbourne. 

What has been your favourite project that you’ve worked on and why? 

There are a few projects that spring to mind, one that stands out would be a design and construct (D&C) school we completed in 2012 for the Queensland Government. It was a brand-new school that needed to be ready for the 2012 school year. There were 14 buildings (including two double-storey buildings) with all-new infrastructure, car parking, and walkways, it was completed in around 10 months. The days were long but you got the impression that all the trades and off-site personnel involved in the building were all focused on achieving this goal. The lessons we learnt and the methodology we implemented during this project helped secure the PPP Projects in WA and it is still a method we use today in our successful D&C schools in Queensland. The other projects that also fall into that category are mainly projects where there was an element of pressure or project-related adversity that our teams were able to overcome to achieve completion. Handing over assets to our clients and knowing they are happy and pleased with the finished product is a great reward for effort.  

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community. 

When I was a Site Manager, there was a project that involved building new AFL clubrooms for the football club I was playing for at the time. It was good to be involved in the build and manage the on-site work. When completed, we had team dinners and drinks in the facility, on weekends people from around the community would gather on the terraces to enjoy the weekend match. It is always pleasing to see something you have helped create being used and enjoyed by the community and before back aches and knee pain crept in, I was also able to enjoy using the facility (which is not something I have experienced much before or since). 

The sport in Queensland has evolved so much since that project was completed, and the number of people and community groups that the building has provided facilities for is extensive. Although my playing days are well and truly over, it has been exciting to see my daughter (who plays for the same club) use the same facilities that her dad used and managed during the build.  

The other project that has significantly impacted the community is the construction of a local church. The project involved removing the old church and creating a new larger church and surrounding areas. I have witnessed the impacts this has had on the community through my involvement with some charities that use the space to feed the underprivileged, provide a safe space to shower, clean clothes, and offer support in the mental health space. 

It is always pleasing to know the building you have been a part of and worked hard on is being used in such a positive way. 

Share a piece of career advice. 

Find out what is important to you outside of work and make career decisions based on that. Take time to understand different perspectives, and use other people’s skills to complement yours. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, to make a tough decision (provided you have explored the options) or to sometimes fail. 

I would also recommend embracing new roles and challenges. You learn a lot about yourself doing something different and it can lead to other career opportunities. I wouldn’t be in the position I am in today if I hadn’t taken on some other opportunities throughout my career and had many failures along the way. 

Don’t forget to celebrate the small wins along the way and take time to reflect on what you have achieved. There’s never been a tougher time to be in the building industry, so not losing sight of what has been accomplished both personally and as a team is particularly important.