An unexpected career 

Her enthusiasm for learning has helped her make the most of every opportunity. As well as gaining valuable hands-on experience on site, Tayla recently completed the New Zealand Certificate in Mining and Quarrying Surface Extraction (Level 2) through MITO. 

"The best thing I learned was why we do things the way we do," she says. "It gave me a better understanding of the job instead of just following the processes." 

Tayla credits both Oreti Aggregates and MITO for providing the support she needed to succeed. 

"I was really lucky to be given time at work to complete my training, and I was able to get help from my coworkers and manager, who had experience in many of the areas I was studying. 

"If I had a question or needed to do something specific for an assessment, they helped me relate it back to what we do on site." 

That supportive environment has become one of Tayla's favourite parts of working at Oreti Aggregates. 

"It's a really small team, but we all get along, and I think that's the best way to be." 

Just over a year after entering the industry, Tayla has gained valuable skills, completed a nationally recognised qualification, and discovered a career she genuinely enjoys.  

Looking ahead, she's eager to continue expanding her knowledge, spend more time operating different types of machinery, and take on greater responsibility as her experience grows. 

For anyone considering a career in quarrying, Tayla has simple advice: 

"I think being keen to learn and willing to give things a go are really important qualities in this industry." 

Her story is a reminder that not everyone follows a carefully mapped-out career path. Sometimes the best opportunities are the ones you never saw coming. For Tayla, a chance job operating loaders on the beach opened the door to an industry she now can't imagine leaving.