Nathan Stearns is a 30-year-old welder and Service Technician at Sanland Equipment. Originally from Canada, he has collected over 10 years’ experience in heavy industries, specializing in the welding, repair, and maintenance of crushing plants and excavator buckets. Nathan has worked extensively on-site at leading quarries, including Wards Quarries, Winstone Aggregates, and Stevensons Quarries.
Where were you raised and educated?
Vancouver Island in Canada. I moved around different towns and schools on the island, which gave me a good mix of experiences and people to learn from growing up.
When did you become interested in a career in this industry?
I first became interested after working on a large jaw crusher and spending time with experienced crusher mechanics. Getting hands-on with that machinery and seeing how critical it is to quarry operations really hooked me, and it led to more work on crushing and screening machinery.
What job did you start off with.
My first job was with STREIT Group in Canada, working on armoured vehicles. I was welding and fabricating fully armoured 1/4-inch ballistic steel Spartans, which were actually featured in The Avengers movie.
Here in New Zealand, I worked as a fitter-welder at Wards Demolition, doing all sorts of work on yellow gear and their mobile crushers and screens. That role really opened the door to the quarry and crushing side of the industry.
What qualifications do you have/or are studying?
I completed a welding course at Canadian Welding Skills School, which gave me a solid base. Most of my knowledge has come from practical, on-the-job training across different industries – learning from experienced tradespeople, mechanics, and fitters while working on real machines and real problems.
What is your current role? What does your role entail?
I’m a Crusher Technician for Sanland Equipment, responsible for fixing, servicing, and maintaining different types of crushers and screens mostly around New Zealand. My role includes breakdown call-outs, planned maintenance, welding and repair work, inspections, and helping customers keep their plants running safely and efficiently.
What does a typical workday look like for you?
Every day is different. A ‘typical’ day might involve heading to site, diagnosing faults, carrying out welding repairs, replacing worn parts, and getting machines back up and running. There’s a lot of problem solving on the spot and plenty of calls to fix people’s problems at short notice.
What do you like about your job?
I enjoy the variety. I get to work on a big range of different machines – different brands, types, and configurations. I’m still coming across machines I didn’t know existed, so I’m always learning. I also like the satisfaction of seeing a plant go from broken down to running smoothly again.
What don’t you like about your job?
There aren’t many people my age in the industry, so sometimes there can be a bit of a generational gap. It can take a bit more effort to bridge different ways of thinking and working.
What are your career aspirations for the future?
To be the most experienced crusher mechanic in the country. I want to keep building my skills, learn every type of machine I can, and be the person people call when they’ve got a serious problem with their crushing plant.
How involved are you with the IOQ?
Not too much at the moment as I wasn’t encouraged to do so in the past but I’m starting to get more and more involved. I’m keen to keep growing my network through IOQ and make the most of the events and training as my career develops.
Any advice for those joining our industry?
Give it a go and keep on swimming. Be prepared to work hard, listen to the experienced people around you, and don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. The industry needs young and motivated people.