25 Aug 2022
TasWater operators recognised for innovation and excellence
Two outstanding TasWater team members have been recognised in the annual Water Industry Operators Association of Australia (WIOA) Excellence in Operations Awards for 2022.
Shannon Spencer, TasWater Senior Operator at Rocherlea, is winner of Tasmanian Operator of the Year 2022.
Jamie T Brown, Water Service Operator in the Derwent Valley, is Young Tasmanian Operator of the Year 2022.
TasWater Manager Organisational Planning and Performance Yvette Gilbert, said the awards recognise excellent performance, demonstrated initiative and commitment to safety in the workplace.
“These two annual awards are sponsored by TasWater,” Yvette said.
“The winners not only receive the accolade of an engraved trophy, but also join the WIOA Operator Delegation on their annual trip to New Zealand. This trip has two purposes. It is a study tour of various water and wastewater treatment plants, combined with participating in the Water Industry Operations Group of New Zealand Conference.”
Both winners were nominated by a peer or Manager within TasWater for their commitment to personal development and training, working effectively as part of a team and other regulatory responsibilities.
Shannon Spencer, Operator of the Year, and who has been with TasWater for twenty three years, said “Playing your role in a team environment is critical to being successful. Having the ability to adapt to change achieves outcomes. If a repair is not completed correctly the first time, it’s costly to TasWater and damages our reputation.
“Relevant training is necessary to learn new skills and safety is paramount to all employees. I feel Taswater is in a good space with some industry leading practices, but we can always improve.
“It is very important to involve all personnel at all levels on site, including contractors because others may see what you do not.
“If all the above is put into practice the outcome is trust within the staff and the community,” Shannon said.
Young Operator of the Year, Jamie T Brown, has been with TasWater for two-and-a-half years. He said, “I believe delivering quality means to take my time to do the job properly, so I only need to do it once. I believe quality in people’s work gains them trust from their co-workers and from TasWater’s customers.
“Problem solving is a critical part of daily life both as individuals and organisations. I really enjoy problem solving and getting a successful outcome with a problem.
“Safety, training, and development is very important in the workplace to make sure we are all up to scratch with all the latest training on the jobs we complete, but mostly to make sure we all get home safely at the end of the day.
“Also, I believe out-of-hours work is important if we want to keep TasWater a good reputation in the community, to be on top of things, to be quick and efficient with problem solving.
“Whether we complete a job in or out of work hours, applying everything above means we give the community safe drinking water 24/7,” Jamie said.
Yvette Gilbert added, “These awards recognise the hard work and effort our staff undertake in their roles on a day-to-day basis to deliver essential services to Tasmanians, whilst also highlighting TasWater’s ongoing commitment to training and career opportunities across the state.”