Toby always had an interest in heavy machinery, so he started exploring options with his school’s careers advisor at Wallan Secondary College north of Melbourne.
The advisor recommended Winslow as a possible employer for a School-Based Apprenticeship and Traineeship (SBAT), so at just 16, he launched his career to become a machine operator by first getting his hands dirty.
“I started out as a labourer learning the jobs on the ground first,” Toby said. “My first opportunity to jump in a machine came just after my 17th birthday where I was trained to operate Moxies.
“After a few months I was approached to try out stringing on a road crew, before becoming an excavator operator in the landscaping division at the start of 2025.
“By the middle of last year, I was approached for the position of scraper operator, which I still remain in today.”
Toby, who graduated from his SBAT in December 2024, said he has had enormous support from everyone at Winslow.
“Everyone I’ve come across in my time at Winslow has taken time to show and explain to me ways I can improve the way I work, and that’s helped me achieve my current position of operating scrapers in bulk earthworks,” he said.
Toby was recently given the opportunity to work in South Australia on the Reeves Plains BESS (Battery Energy Storage System) project where he operates on two-week stints.
“Winslow has provided opportunities I don’t think I may have had if I did an SBAT somewhere else,” he said.
“The (SBAT) experience for me was very good. The way the training is built into what you do every day at work and with trainers coming out to site to provide updates and give out more coursework means you lose less time in the field improving on your skills.”
To learn more about Winslow’s apprenticeships and trainee programs, visit https://winslow.com.au/work-with-us/apprenticeships-trainees