Techforce embarks on east coast expansion

When Ryan Barr first joined Vision Surveys in 2011, surveying wasn’t on his radar. Fresh out of school, he applied for a junior draftsman role without qualifications or even a clear idea of what the job involved. “I had to ask my dad what a surveyor even did” Ryan recalls. What Ryan found was a team ready to back him. He was paired with a senior surveyor who answered every question and gave him the chance to learn in the field. That hands-on mentoring planted the seed for what would later grow into the Vision Academy, a program that is now shaping the next generation of surveying talent. More than a decade on, Ryan leads the Brisbane office and mentors cadets through the same program that started from stories like his. “It wasn’t called the Academy back then but the idea was the same. Learn by doing. Ask questions. Make mistakes and get better. Having someone in your corner early on makes all the difference.” Building capability for the industry The Vision Academy is a two-year training program that takes cadets from their first day in the field to associate-level surveyors. The program is structured in three-month blocks with clear milestones, balancing observation with practical learning. At first cadets spend time shadowing experienced surveyors before gradually taking on more responsibility. Each stage builds their skills and confidence until they are ready to lead projects with support. By the end of the program cadets are prepared to complete the Surveying Associate Competency Assessment with the Surveyors Board Queensland, earning a recognised qualification and practical experience without needing a university degree. For cadets like Mikey and Oliver, this program is more than training. It is a pathway into a career many would never have considered. Vision Surveys CEO Dave Wilson says the Academy is a direct response to industry need. “We recognised the shortage of surveyors early on so we created our own program to bring school leavers into Vision and the industry. The Academy not only gives us skilled employees it also develops the future leaders of our business.” A culture of support For Ryan the Academy is about more than technical training. It is about creating an environment where people are supported to succeed. “You’re not expected to know everything. That’s the point of the program. You’ve got people here who want to see you do well,” he says. That culture is reflected in Ryan’s own journey. After several years at Vision he left to work in the mines before returning in 2021 for better balance and more time with his young family. Now he is building the careers of others, mentoring cadets at different stages and helping them navigate both work and life. “There’s a real understanding here that people have lives outside of work. Whether it’s starting early for school pick up or going camping on the weekend the flexibility is there if you need it,” Ryan says. Why it matters Surveying is one of those professions that many students never hear about at school yet it plays a critical role in shaping the communities we live in. From new housing estates to major infrastructure projects, surveyors provide the data and insight that bring plans to life. Without a clear pathway many people would never discover it as a career. The Vision Academy changes that. By creating structured opportunities, it opens the door for more people to enter the profession, helping to address national skills shortages and giving individuals a chance to build lasting careers. Dave Wilson believes it is also about inspiring awareness beyond the business. “It’s important to show the community what surveyors do and the role we play every day. Surveying is a diverse career. You can spend your life outdoors travelling the world or in an office with the air conditioning. The choice is yours. Through Vision Academy we speak at schools and career expos to inspire the next generation and help the industry grow.” Powered by PeopleIN The Vision Academy is one example of how Vision Surveys and PeopleIN are creating future talent pipelines across Australia. By providing pathways that combine training, mentoring and real-world experience, we are building stronger workforces and supporting industries to grow. As Ryan puts it, “You don’t need to have it all figured out. I didn’t. You just need to be open to learning and willing to give it a go. The Academy gives you structure, support and real experience. You get paid while you learn and by the end of it you have options.” PeopleIN and Vision Surveys are proud to back initiatives like the Vision Academy that create opportunities for people and develop the skills our Australian communities and industries need for the future.

PeopleIN and RWM are proud to support Teacher in a Box, donating refurbished laptops to provide offline educational access for students in remote Pacific communities.

We believe leadership is about clear focus, purposeful execution, and delivering outcomes that matter. Marlyn Soulakelles - better known as Muz - perfectly embodies this mindset. A commercially minded operator with deep people instincts, Marlyn is known for building strong cultures, empowering teams, and leading with clarity and accountability. Her leadership approach is straightforward but powerful: establish trust, create momentum, and enable teams to perform at their best. This combination has consistently driven tangible results across our businesses.

PeopleIN is championing an initiative that would support the Australian Government in expanding ADF recruitment eligibility to Pacific Islanders - strengthening defence ties and workforce capability. Our proposal has been submitted and we are actively engaging in discussions across multiple levels of government to explore the feasibility of this initiative. We have provided a strategic blueprint and pathway case study that outlines how this expansion could be implemented effectively. Drawing on our expertise as Australia’s largest employment provider under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, we offer a sustainable recruitment model built on proven processes and sovereign capability. KEY COMPONENTS OF OUR STRATEGY - Co-designing recruitment pathways with Pacific governments to secure their support. - Benchmarking against 5-Eyes nations to implement best-practice solutions and mitigate risks. - Launching a Pilot Program with PNG, targeting long-term benefits for both countries. - Drawing on global military recruitment expertise, including British Gurkha and ADF remote testing models. How it works - Pacific Islanders would serve in combat and non-combat roles (engineering, logistics, mechanical trades, etc.). - Service terms could be four years, with an option to return home with new skills or continue serving with a pathway to citizenship. - After service, they would then return home with new skills and experience that contribute to local economic development. - Recruitment standards would be calibrated for optimal enlistment rates, ensuring readiness across all three ADF services. In developing this recruiting strategy, PeopleIN has also extensively considered and developed plans to mitigate risks, including: - Fast-tracking medical, psychological, and security screening to eliminate known ADF recruitment bottlenecks. - Maximising enrolment through targeted marketing and engagement. - Ensuring cultural support and preventing ‘brain drain’ for a sustainable pipeline. Next steps We’ve delivered our recommendations to the JSCFADT (Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trad) inquiry and Australian Government’s pre-budget submission, urging a 2025 business case and implementation plan in partnership with Defence and industry stakeholders. PeopleIN is not just advising - we’re building the framework to make this happen.

GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND - JOEL KASS

“It was just going to be a little job for a couple of months, when I first came back from overseas”. 14 years ago Karlee Berg began her career with Tribe Workforce Solutions as an Administration Assistant. Today, after performing every role in between (and often more than one at once!), she’s now the General Manager. “I trained as a beauty therapist and I'd been working overseas, as the day spa manager on cruise ships. It’s a hectic lifestyle and I was pretty burnt out when I got home and needed a break,” Karlee said. “I think I'd only been back in the country for a month and a friend, who was working with AWX (another of PeopleIN’s brands), said the directors had started this new business, focused on the hospitality sector. They didn’t have admin or account staff, just a general manager, and people from AWX were just jumping in to help where they could.

Five years after commencing his recruitment career with PeopleIN’s labour solutions business AWX, today Johan Thomas is an Account Manager with an enviable record of success. From international student, to junior recruiter, to today being an essential part of AWX’s Melbourne team, Johan says it’s the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of others which has motivated his professional growth. "The most enjoyable part of my job is helping people” Johan said.

Ian HealyAustralian cricket legend​“Heals” played 119 Test matches for Australia and is one of our greatest ever wicketkeepers. We sat down to ask him about being part of an extraordinarily high performing team and how he uses what he learned behind the stumps in his post playing career.Watch it here

Amy Chapman

Vu TranFounder of Go1 and

Matt Galton DSC Former Director General, Capital Facilities and Infrastructure for Defence In his former role Matt was responsible for a multi-billion dollar budget and the team who managed Defence infrastructure. We challenged him to answer three questions about managing large numbers of people, large budgets and engaging contractors to deliver a broad variety of projects. Watch it here