Meet Our People

Colin Hirst

Commercial Manager

When our son was 18 months old we decided to work overseas so we could give him a quality life. It took us five years to acclimatise when we moved from South Africa to England. In Australia, we feel right at home after just five months.

A lot of that’s down to the fact that Abigroup is like one big family – and that’s really important when you’re starting a life in a new country. All the wives keep in touch and get together, so it’s a fantastic support network. Practical too – we didn’t have much furniture when we got here, so our “extended” family gave us more than we needed to get comfortable until our own stuff arrived.

Abigroup and Australians generally have gone out of their way to help us. My wife got a job immediately and I’m finding Abigroup an excellent place to work. We both love it here in Australia, so I can’t see us leaving anytime soon.

Nick Woodrow

Site Engineer

Back in London I went to several interviews for overseas roles with several different companies, but it was Abigroup that impressed me the most. They stood out because they made it clear they could offer me a career – not just “a” project opportunity.

So far it’s been a brilliant experience. My girlfriend and I have been very well cared for – Abigroup’s even helping us with permanent residency and citizenship. I’ve been enjoying the career development opportunities at Abigroup and my girlfriend has found a job she really loves. We’ve found it very easy to settle in.

I think the biggest attraction has got to be the lifestyle. It’s wonderful being able to go to the beach six months of the year and to travel to some of the amazing places around Australia and New Zealand. All in all, I can honestly say that Abigroup has delivered!

John Bradley

Project Manager

I’m really enjoying my time in Australia, both professionally and personally. Abigroup has been great – they’ve looked after my family and me from day one and taken care of all the details, from relocation to sorting out sponsorship and residency. It certainly made the transition to a new country as smooth and hassle-free as possible.

With Abigroup I’ve worked on a number of exciting large civil projects in Victoria and South Australia, my current job being the Port River Expressway project in South Australia.

Aside from the great career opportunities, the Australian lifestyle is really agreeing with my wife and kids. The weather is great, the people are friendly and the standard of living is excellent. It’s everything we hoped it would be.