One of the greatest parts of CADDS Group is the ability for people to grow and develop throughout their careers, and their time, within the business.
Back in 2006, after spending a few months exclusively working on his Hilux, Brendan realised it was time to start getting money back in, and not just sending it out. When Brendan started at CADDS he came into the team as a trainee draftsperson, from working in a smaller industrial company in Welshpool. For his interview, he met with the business founder Alan Moody and our current Managing Director, Darren Clark. The interview took place in the CADDS boardroom at the time, which was a bedroom in an Applecross house that the team had adopted as their unconventional workplace.
In 15 years, Brendan has seen the business evolve from a ‘Computer-Aided Design and Drafting’ business to the multifunctional service consultancy group that stands today. He has experienced the ups and downs of the Western Australian economy and seen firsthand how a robust and considered business can, not just make its way through, but excel and grow beyond belief.
We got to sit down with Brendan and ask him a few questions about his time and what he thinks of the business moving forward.
What do you do at CADDS now?
I work in the Systems and Process section of the Group. I believe my team’s core role is to remove the frustrations that people experience in their day-to-day CADDS life. Generally, it would be something to do with improving/deleting an arduous process or improving/implementing a software/hardware system, but it often branches out into other areas such as the office space or a client project. While I work predominantly within our own business, the work I help with translates to better experiences for our clients.
What made you join the business?
I was always pretty good at drafting and the idea of travelling up North really interested me. Also, I really was spending a lot of time on my Hilux.
What has been your favourite part of the business?
The people without a doubt. There are some really good people here, many that have become close mates that I catch up with outside of work. I have so many good memories of different site trips, Manila trips, projects, weddings, pub Fridays and our work events.
Also, if I didn’t mention meeting my wife Sarah I might get in trouble.
What have been the best changes and biggest challenges you have seen through your time in the business?
I would say the growth for both. When I started at CADDS in March 2006 as a trainee draftee there was around 10 staff working in an old house in Applecross; Engineering was in the living room with Energy and Arch in a bedroom each. The entire company used to have lunch on the balcony watching dolphins swim by. It was a special place to work.
On the same hand, I have experienced rapid development that, while exciting, can be incredibly scary to face off with. Darren and I used to do alternate fortnightly site visits to West Angelas and Yandi, then around 2011 the Rio Tinto drawing office closed. We had to transition from visiting two sites every fortnight to visiting all 14. This was a period where two-to-three site trips were happening every week. From there we ramped up to 50,60,70,80 people in about a 2-year period. It was full-on but has also led us to where we are now.
What do you most look forward to about working at CADDS?
Everything to do with our 2021 business plan. We have had a few cracks at it over the years, but I have a good feeling about this one. I am also looking forward to moving into a post-Covid world, where we can visit our teammates in Manila.
As always, I am looking forward to more of the same CADDS life (but even better).
Thank you, Brendan, and congratulations on a pretty amazing 15 years!