Alan Beveridge has reached a milestone at McKay Drilling, 10 years working his way from a green Offsider to RC Senior Driller. Congratulations Alan, thank you for your commitment and hard work over the years. We look forward to many more years working with you.
To commemorate his 10 Year Anniversary here at McKay’s we asked Alan the following questions;
Tell us about yourself; where you were born and grew up?
I was born in Edinburgh, Scotland and grew up about 10 miles from there in a place called Bonnyrigg. I have three sisters and one brother. So never a dull moment really. I grew up in the country so done a lot of dirt bike riding and enjoyed mountain climbing on the weekends when the weather allowed it.
What were you doing before drilling?
I worked in a large factory not far from my house for about 10 years. I worked on the factory floor and ended up as a Department Manager by the end. I managed stocks and a team of five people. Booking in trucks from all around the UK and Europe. When the UK went through the last recession, I decided to take off and see the world for a bit before coming back and settling into another job, or so I thought.
How did you end up in Australia? How did you get into drilling?
I travelled to Perth, as I have a mate here. I got into drilling as I needed my second year visa and drilling was the best step to do this. Then McKay’s offered to keep me and sponsor me.
When did you start with McKay’s?
I started with McKay’s end of July 2011.
What was it like working for McKay’s back when you started?
Working with McKay’s back in the day was great, we had a real good crew. At the start it was more like a mad holiday, never seen anything like a drill rig before. Had no idea about anything on it. Just put my head down and got stuck into it. Couldn’t get over how much everyone drank. I thought the Scot’s where bad but we just leave drinking to the weekends. There was a lot less focus on the safety but the guys all pointed you in the right direction in regards to do’s and don’ts.
Who did you learn from and what valuable lessons did you learn in the early days? Can you explain how you progressed from a green Offsider to the Senior Driller that you are today?
I think I progressed through the ranks by keeping my head down and working hard. Trying to pick up as much as possible what I can learn and having good leaders to learn from. When drilling, I try to keep all the crew on the right path to avoid injuries or accidents. Stick to the procedures and always look for things going wrong before they do.
What do you love and hate about the job and what’s kept you around for so long?
I love getting out and meeting new people, both McKay’s and Clients. It’s good getting out in the middle of the bush. Feels like you’re on an adventure every day! Ha.
What changes have you seen in the company and industry over your 10 year career in drilling?
Seen heaps of changes in 10 years, a lot of the crew have moved on from when I started. The rigs have got more modern. Currently drilling on the new iRig is like flying a plane J. It’s good, we are a lot more safety focused and have good safe work practices (SWP’s) in place to explain the everyday tasks in detail.
What advice would you like to pass on to people starting a career in drilling?
Advice… Keep your head down. Keep yourself and your crew safe. Stick with the SWP’s and site rules. Pick up what you can when you can and don’t be afraid to ask a questions if you need to. Even if they don’t understand you!
What would you like to see happen in the next 5 years in McKay Drilling?
I think McKay’s has done an amazing job in the last 10 years. I think if we continue in the way we are going we’ll be aiming for total domination in five years.
