Shaun

“I was three years old when I saw a big ‘scraper’ tractor leveling the land in front of our house and became interested in construction. I went from playing with Lego blocks to a career working with many people to plan and build new communities,” says Shaun.

As part of Mattamy’s Alberta Land Development department, he oversees construction and maintenance for master planned residential communities around Calgary, including project management of budgets, contracts and schedules to prepare land, build site infrastructure, and construct neighbourhoods of single- and multi-family homes.

While I was studying construction project management at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), I took advantage of four-month internships at Mattamy in the Purchasing and Land departments. I didn’t know what I was in for, but I loved the work and the people. Later I was hired full time as a Construction Coordinator, and was recently promoted to Construction Manager on the Land Development team. It really helped that Mattamy is so invested in supporting student internships across Canada.

I serve as an intermediary between many groups – from consultants, to contractors, to municipal representatives – to find cost-effective solutions and keep projects moving.  I enjoy the constant communication, whether I’m in the office coordinating all the details to prepare for an intense construction season, or I’m in the field collaborating with our build teams.

I helped spearhead a discussion with city officials to amend infrastructure building specifications so we could pilot the use of more sustainable concrete and reduce the carbon footprint by up to 30 per cent. I earned Mattamy’s Blue Ribbon Sustainability Advocate Award for helping drive that idea forward and for supporting our focus on being a sustainable developer.

My role definitely keeps me busy, but I always get the opportunity to do the things I enjoy outside of work. For example, I coach a high school baseball team. If I need some extra time to get to a game, there are no issues, as long as I make up the time and get my work done.

I’d say someone who is ‘driven’, ‘ambitious’ and ‘eager to enact change’, not only within the company but across the industry too, since there are opportunities to help develop creative ideas, products and methods. There are many avenues for individual growth too – with access to courses, certifications or networking – whether you want to advance into a new title or grow from a knowledge standpoint.