Rhys is currently working in Decmil’s Head Office in Perth as an Estimator with the Pre-Contracts Team.
I like the challenge of working through constraints or finding new solutions when circumstances change to achieve a target or key date. Working together with like-minded people to get this done is very satisfying.
Rhys studied Civil Engineering at Curtin University in Western Australia and decided that he wanted to begin his career in construction of projects, being on the ground delivering the project rather than doing a consulting type role.
Rhys joined Decmil in 2022 where he joined the project team working on the construction of the Civic to Reid Mitchell Freeway Principal Shared Path (PSP). One of Rhys’s highlights on this project was the achievements of his project team during the rebuilding of the Karrinyup offramp. Rhys proposed a full short-term road closure to the client to accelerate the construction of the Freeway Offramp given that it was live and had major traffic constraints. This needed to be completed first as part of the overall scope to allow the team to build the other sections of adjacent road. The project team successfully managed 10 subcontractors and Decmil’s own crews in a period of 5 days, some working concurrently to allow the ramp to be constructed to its final configuration over that short period. The ramp was successfully re-opened as scheduled. The team then went on to rebuild the entirety of Karrinyup Rd and the onramp before Christmas. utilising the same planning and teamwork to get the original road reinstated over the course of the next 5 weeks.
Upon completion of the Mitchell Freeway PSP project, Rhys joined the Pre-Contracts team in the Perth office where he transitioned to an estimating role.
Rhys comments that he enjoys working for Decmil as it doesn’t feel like a big company on the inside. He says that you know everyone and as cliché as it sounds, you don’t feel like a number working at Decmil. Rhys says that the people are great to work with, and the company has invested in systems and processes that work well at all levels to help you do your job.
Rhys says, “I love the fact that that you can see what you have achieved throughout a project. I like the challenge of working through constraints or finding new solutions when circumstances change to achieve a target or key date. Working together with like-minded people to get this done is very satisfying.”
Rhys’s advice to the those starting out on their career is to always persevere, as everything helps to build your knowledge and experience. He says never be afraid to ask if you don’t know something, and chances are someone else would have asked the same thing when they started.
When he isn’t at work Rhys is at home spending time with his family. He has an 18-month-old son who runs him off his feet! He has also moved into a new family home, so any spare time that he has is currently spent unpacking or finding things to do – and rest assured there is always plenty to do with a young family and a new house!
