Chapter 3 - Nigel Dawson, Plant driver

How a chance opportunity turned into a career at CHC

I was born in Bury but moved to South Oxfordshire when I was three, growing up on a farm. I returned to Bury at 22 and needed to work. At the time my dad’s best friend, Jim Prescott, was driving a CAT 428 for CHC. He suggested I pop in to see Howard, so I came in on the Friday and started the following Monday, also driving a CAT 428! It all happened very quickly, but it turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

As CHC continued to grow, I spent a lot of time on hire at Marshalls’ quarries, which I really enjoyed. Over time I took on the role of supervisor, which made things more interesting and gave me that extra bit of responsibility. I prefer working closer to home, but I’ve always understood that sometimes you have to go where the work is. Because of that, I’ve also worked up in Barrow and over in Formby when needed.

Looking back, working on the Ribble Valley Pipeline project stands out for me. It was completed in two phases and had some tricky elements that required a lot of thought and planning. I enjoyed the challenge and the feeling of knowing you’d played a part in something significant.

Howard has probably had the biggest influence on my career. When I returned to Bury at 22, out of work and unsure of what to do next, he gave me an opportunity. His work ethic really stood out, and I can honestly say I’ve enjoyed the past 35 years. Sean has also been a major influence. If there was ever an issue with a machine, he made sure it was sorted quickly so we could get back to work.

Working for CHC has given me both job security and continuity, and I’ve been fortunate enough to work locally for most of my career. Everyone has moments where they wonder if the grass might be greener elsewhere, but in my experience, it rarely is.

If I was to offer advice to someone thinking about plant driving as a career, I’d say give it a go, you never know where it might take you. I’ve never been bored driving machines, and you get the chance to work on some really interesting sites. There’s always an opportunity to progress if that’s what you want.

Plant apprenticeships are available with CHC, so if you want to become the next Nigel, get in touch.