Some people grow up knowing exactly where they’re headed. Others find the work that changes them by stepping into a place they never pictured themselves.
For Christa, Billie and Fatima, manufacturing wasn’t a straight line. Christa left school in Year 10 and built her career through work, learning and taking on more than she once thought she could. Billie came from mining and construction, looking for work closer to home, and found her skills could move and grow with her. Fatima migrated to Australia, spoke English as a second language, started on the floor, and proudly remembers pointing to roofs, gutters and fence caps while telling her friends, “I made that.”
None of them arrived already knowing everything. They learned the machines, the pace of the work, how to ask questions, solve problems and trust their judgement. Confidence didn’t come first. It came through doing the work, being supported in the unfamiliar early days, and realising capability can be built one shift at a time.
That’s what a career in operations can offer: practical work, real skills, and the chance to see what you’re capable of when someone gives you the opportunity to learn properly.
At Novar Gardens, our operations teams make products that become part of real homes, real streets and real places. The work is practical, physical, detailed and team-based. Some days are busy, some might be repetitive, and other days might ask for a slower pace, thinking clearly, and caring about doing the job safely and well.
You don’t need to start with manufacturing experience. You need curiosity, care, a willingness to learn, and enough belief in yourself to take the first step before you feel completely ready.
Christa’s story
Christa didn’t follow the path people usually expect. She left school in Year 10 and built her career through work, experience, leadership training and a willingness to keep taking on new challenges.
Her story matters because it says something a lot of us need to hear: formal education is not the only measure of potential.
Christa has grown into leadership by backing herself, learning from the people around her, and proving through her work that capability can be built as you go. Her advice is simple: “don’t let a lack of formal qualifications stop you from applying. You may be capable of far more than you think.”
Billie’s story
Before Billie joined us, she came from around 20 years in mining and construction. Manufacturing wasn’t something she had planned, but she was open to trying something new, especially if it meant working closer to home instead of FIFO.
She started as a Machine Operator, and at first, she only expected to stay for about a year. Once Billie started, she was surprised by how many opportunities there were, and how supportive the team was. By getting involved across different departments and shifts and taking on new challenges, she progressed into an Operations Team Leader, now acting in an Operations Supervisor role.
Her story matters because it shows that skills don’t disappear when you change industries, they move with you. The desire to learn, ask questions, work safely, try new things, support a team and keep giving things a go can become the bridge into work you never expected. Billie’s advice: “You don't have to know everything on day one. By staying open to opportunities and stepping outside my comfort zone, I've built my skills, gained confidence, and progressed my career. Back yourself and take that first step, you might surprise yourself with what you're capable of.”
Fatima’s story
When Fatima migrated to Australia and accepted her first job with us at Novar Gardens, she started with nerves, uncertainty, and English as her second language. She was one of the few women on the floor and remembers feeling nervous about speaking up, learning quickly and finding her place in the team.
Then people coached her, she learned the work and she adjusted to shifts. She watched skilled team members do things well and wanted to understand how everything fitted together.
After her first week, she learned where the flashings she made were installed. From then on, when she drove past a roof, gutter or fence cap, she would proudly point and say, “I made that!”
Now, as an Operations Supervisor, leadership means more to her than paperwork or KPIs. It means helping people, removing roadblocks, improving the process and making sure the team goes home safely at the end of the day.
Fatima’s advice to you: “Trust in yourself that whatever challenges are thrown at you, you will be able to do them. Everyone starts somewhere - there's always fear of not having experience or not knowing how to do a task. But the very first step is always learning.”
What you need to begin
You don’t need to know every machine, you don’t need to have worked in manufacturing before, and you don’t need to feel completely confident on day one. You need to be willing to learn, ask questions, listen carefully, work safely and give yourself the chance to become good at something new.
If there’s a part of you wondering whether this could be yours, that’s enough to start. You don’t need to prove you belong on day one. You just need the chance to learn, be supported and see what you’re capable of.
Join us, Creating Strength for the future.
