Challenging but rewarding
Amanda Little embraces the fast pace of her work as a superintendent at Walker Aggregates
Tell us a bit about your job and your responsibilities.
As a superintendent at Walker Aggregates, I manage both the day-to-day activities of the quarry as well as long-term planning. I also put on many other hats, such as tasks tied to environmental, health and safety, human resources, community relations, and maintenance as issues arise. It’s both a challenging but very rewarding job. I love how fast paced and ever-changing my “day-to-day” is.
Describe your typical day on the job and how the work you do contributes to the company.
It’s a lot of coordinating employees on their daily tasks and dealing with any unforeseen issues that may arise to make sure production stays on track to meet our yearly and monthly budgets.
How did you become interested in this work?
I went to school for mining engineering while also growing up close to the Walkers’ head office, so I knew about the company and its values. From talking to people in the industry, I also knew of the rift between engineers and the people working on the ground. I didn’t want to be the cause of that and was willing to work my way from the ground up so that I would be more well-rounded and could foresee issues that most engineers wouldn’t.
Education and advancement
Is your current position the same as when you started in this company?
I started as a quality control technician for Vineland and Springcreek Quarries, a position I held for just over two years, then transferred to McGregor Quarry as a production supervisor for four and a half years. I recently came back to Vineland Quarry as a production supervisor and quickly got promoted to superintendent after the move. Now I’ve been a superintendent for just over a year.
Detail your past or ongoing education and how it is relevant to your job.
My education as a mining engineer helped me think quickly on my feet, remain organized and perform well under pressure. My education also taught me about the green book and gave me more advanced knowledge on a lot of the mining laws and legislation. However, I don’t think you need a formal education in order to do my job; every day is a learning experience.
If you could start over, would you change your career path?
This job isn’t what I would say when people would ask me what I wanted to be “when I grow up…” but it’s good for me. I like the diversity and being able to split my time between desk work and being out in the field. Also, I find myself naturally good a managing different people.
Industry and advice
What advice would you give a high school student unsure of the opportunities in the aggregate industry?
I would let them know that there is a wide variety of jobs in the aggregate industry, a lot of which don’t require a formal education. And it’s not just about running heavy equipment either. As long as you have a good attitude and work hard, that’s half the battle.
What are some common jobs in the aggregate industry that you do not need a formal education to apply for?
General labourer and haul truck driver are usually our two entry-level positions. From there we will usually cross-train, and you may have the opportunity to learn other skills and take on other positions.
What hard or soft skills should someone in your field have?
Although the industry is changing and there is a lot of diversity entering the field, you still need to be able to work with multigenerational team members. It also helps if you are hardworking, have a good attitude, are willing to learn and are slightly mechanically inclined.