TWO glaring glitches have been united thanks to a start-up company named Dirty Workx.
The perfect match is having a young, willing and able work force and three to four requests for casual labour every day and this is exactly what two young school friends have created.
Andrew Minehan has a landscaping business in Orange and work is constant. Initially, he called on university students at the Orange campus of Charles Sturt University (CSU) to assist with his own projects then his friends and other professionals asked if he could do the same for them.
“I realised there was an opportunity to act as a connection between the two and the concept of Dirty Workx was born,” Mr Minehan explained. “No-one else had brought these two parties together so I did.”
As word spread of Dirty Workx, requests came in from other areas and that’s when Mr Minehan contacted old school-friend, Will Mitchell, in Wagga Wagga. “Andrew called and asked if I had any contacts at CSU here and, as I’m the first grade coach for Wagga Agricultural College rugby, I said, yes, a few.”
Dirty Workx now has 80 students in Wagga and 160 between the Orange and Bathurst campuses providing labour for one-off and on-going projects.
“Dirty Workx pays above award rates, insurance and provides all protective clothing. Many students now have their white-cards and RSA qualifications and we look after all tax, superannuation and administrative details,” Mr Minehan said.
“We often get a phone-call late afternoon for three people to be on a construction site at six o’clock the next morning,” Mr Mitchell explained. “I simply put the word out to the students and they accept if they are free.”
Federal Minister for Small Business and Member for Riverina, Michael McCormack is delighted with the initiative of Dirty Workx. “Here is yet another example of regional entrepreneurism filling holes in the short-term labour hire conundrum and uni students having employment they can fit around their study schedules.”
Two companies in Wagga Wagga now use Dirty Workx exclusively for their projects. Andrew Watt from Hutcheon and Pearce, one of the nation’s largest John Deere dealers, is responsible for the erection and maintenance of the Real Time Kinematic (RTK) communication towers.
“This system is invaluable to our customers and we used to use our own technicians and mechanics to get out of the workshops to put them up. This wasn’t good use of their schedules and expertise and it was a frustrating exercise.”
“Then Will Mitchell told me about Dirty Workx and we tried them. Now we have a team of willing students to accompany one of our technicians to erect and now maintain this important network for us. This system is perfect,” Mr Watt concluded.
Josh and Sophie Walsh are event managers and live in an old church outside Wagga Wagga which also is a venue for weddings. Their business has expanded in the past year with the addition of White Top venues, a complete package for people wanting to have a wedding on their family property, or other unusual location.
“It takes four days to set up for these events, including the erection of our large high tensile roof-liner marquees which can hold up to 150 people,” Mr Walsh said.
“As well as the construction of the marquees, dong the in-fill of the floor, tables and chairs, we use students with Responsible Serving of Alcohol certification, too. We are building a skilled reliable team which means we can continue to expand our enterprise.”
Wagga Wagga CSU student, Andrew Stanham said Dirty Workx suits student’s study schedules which can change from semester to semester. “The flexibility is perfect and being able to work when I am available means I can schedule lectures and tutorials to make the best of both worlds.”
Upcoming events at which Dirty Workx are supplying labour include the Australian National Field Days in Orange with 140 staff and Visy at Tumut for 40.
Pennie Scott
I am an independent scholar with interests and expertise in regenerative agriculture, equity and justice for farmers, functioning healthy landscapes and the culture in agri-culture. My aim is to inform holistically and honestly to ensure readers have access to what they need, now.
I am an independent scholar with interests and expertise in regenerative agriculture, equity and justice for farmers, functioning healthy landscapes and the culture in agri-culture. My aim is to inform holistically and honestly to ensure readers have access to what they need, now.
