As Christchurch moves cautiously towards repair and rebuilding, Stephen Kleehammer, New Zealand Institute of Building (NZIOB) Young Achiever of the Year 2011, is in the thick of it.

Typically, he’s looking forward to the challenge, to working and learning alongside other experienced industry professionals. He also appreciates the plight and resilience of Cantabrians who want to re-establish their lives. “It’s quite mind-blowing the scale and volume of work. Very few people have been involved with this size and complexity of disaster before, so it comes with a lot of unique challenges,” says Stephen.

He is excited to be part of helping the city to rebuild. “Developments of the last two decades allow the construction industry to be at the forefront of new, and advancing existing techniques in the ways buildings are constructed – obviously with earthquake strengthening in mind. But it also provides Canterbury with the opportunity to be at the forefront of modern design, sustainable, green type building.”

Stephen and his wife made a very objective post-earthquake decision to move to Christchurch when he was presented with a number of work opportunities. He recently accepted the position of domestic delivery manager with MWH-Mainzeal, and is responsible for managing the delivery of a residential; portfolio of properties for repair or rebuilding. Stephen says he has a “fortunate” set of skills, and a broad background of experience and qualifications to offer Canterbury. These credentials also helped him win the NZIOB award, so it comes as a surprise to hear him say he was shocked at the win. He explains there are so many high calibre people in the industry.

But of course he was thrilled as well as humbled to be recognised for his achievements and career progression. What is not a surprise is that Stephen, 35, has been doing what he enjoys ever since he was old enough to attach one Lego brick to another. His drive and energy is clear throughout the telephone interview. “I’ve always enjoyed building things whether it was outside in my father’s shed, or inside building Lego – following plans, but also creating new things,” he says. Stephen’s career has followed a natural progression of scale. At high school he shone in workshop technology and was recognised for his talent. “I found I had a real knack for it and always strived for quality and doing my best. During high school I thought being a builder would be pretty exciting.”

The decision to leave school after sixth form was not easy as he was encouraged to go into seventh form and university along with his friends. But he says he made the best decision of his life when, in 1993, he applied and was accepted for a five year building management cadetship with Mackersey Construction, Hawkes Bay. Immersed in the business of building he learned a raft of skills – carpentry/building, foremanship, planning and programming, how to manage subcontractors, quantity surveying, estimating and tendering. “I had a great opportunity to learn and the guys I worked with were of a very high calibre,” says Stephen. “It gave me a great launch pad.” His ultimate goal was to “get a really good under-standing of what it took to be a good project manager”.

So while he earned as he learned Stephen “chipped away” at extramural study through The Open Polytechnic, completing the New Zealand Certificate in Building (NZCB) in 1997 followed by the National Diploma in Quantity Surveying. In 1999 he joined Mainzeal Property and Construction as a quantity surveyor, continuing to study extramurally for qualifications in project management at Victoria University and gained the Graduate Diploma in Building Management, then a Bachelor of Construction/Quantity Surveying at Massey University. “I had to have a lot of will power but I guess it set up some good time management parameters, and a determination to finish things.”

These “hectic few years” were rewarded by an NZIOB Scholarship for commitment and success in industry training and study, and the HH Bunckenberg Memorial Trust Award for Excellence in Professional Examinations from New Zealand Institute of Quantity Surveyors. Quantity surveying allowed him to grasp the legal, contractual and financial nature of the industry and cover those bases for project management. Looking ahead he could see challenges and opportunities in higher-level positions, and work on complex projects with many different stakeholders and variables. Anticipation of work overseas added impetus to move his career ahead, hence the simultaneous work and study.

“I believe there is no substitute for experience but if you can sidesaddle that with good tertiary education, it allows you to understand, appreciate and approach things differently.” During two OEs (he founded his own company in between) Stephen worked on some projects in England and, in particular, Abu Dhabi where he was senior project manager for Turner & Townsend International on a $500 million five star hotel development.

“The principles of construction methodology are very similar but working with different cultures and types of people was a challenge. I think [managing a project] goes back to working with people’s differences, and how to get the best from them without them feeling they are being told what to do. Empowering them.” Industry professionals such as Ashley Hartley of Gemco Construction, and Finlay Irwin at Mainzeal Property & Construction have inspired him.

“Both of these accomplished professionals instilled a strong work ethic in me and a commitment for high standards while maintaining a firm-but-fair, win-win approach when dealing with people. This is a style I have aspired to implement in my own career, and in the majority with much success.”

And the future? That seems to be mapped out as he helps Christchurch make a new beginning.