19/08/2026
Whanganui’s Grounded HQ impresses at national civil construction awards
Grounded HQ co-founder Carol Loader (centre) with Connexis learning solutions group manager Sue Roberts (left) and Civil Contractors New Zealand vice-president Jeremy Dixon at the Z Energy People Awards and Connexis Civil Industry Training and Development Awards.
Whanganui-based civil construction company and social enterprise Grounded HQ has been nationally recognised for its rapid growth and employment opportunities.
Grounded HQ won the Civil Industry Training and Development Award for companies with turnover of up to $10 million at the Z Energy People Awards and Connexis Civil Industry Training and Development Awards on August 14.
The awards recognise employers who invest in the future of their people through training programmes and nationally recognised qualifications.
The half-Māori-owned and Amotai-registered company was founded by Carol and Matt Loader in 2023.
Carol Loader said receiving the award was a thrill and honour but came as a “huge surprise”.
“I think it’s really sad that what we’re doing and what we feel is normal business practice, in training and looking after people, seems to be unheard of in our industry,” Loader said.
“It made me realise that what we are doing is unique compared to other businesses.”
The judges were impressed with the company’s approach to offering opportunities to unemployed people or those lacking the education or training traditionally required.Grounded HQ works with multiple agencies and bodies to offer opportunities to people.
Loader, a former teacher, said education had always been a passion, which influenced Grounded HQ’s approach.
“I realised quite early on that there aren’t a lot of opportunities for people to get into civil construction,” she said.
“It’s really competitive with people just leaving school and wanting to go for a labouring job ... if we can offer micro-credentials or industry skills then people can be another level up from that.
“They are more attractive to employers because they have got some skills, they are able to do a task without being babysat, they can be independent and they’ve got some confidence.”
It is the company’s first national honour after receiving the Westpac Supreme Award and Trades and Construction Award at Whanganui’s Te Manu Atatū Māori Business Awards last year.
Loader is also passionate about encouraging more people, particularly Māori, Pasifika and women, into civil construction.
“I’m trying to make civil construction attractive and get the branding out there for people to understand the different scope of career choices that are in the industry,” she said.
“I’ve found, being a woman in this industry, it’s quite a rare thing as it’s quite male-dominated so to have women in key roles is quite important to me.”
Loader said Grounded HQ’s goals were to expand into the commercial sector and work alongside “tier one companies”, which had already begun with the company’s rapid growth.
“We’ve created a machine now, we’ve got to feed it,” she said.
She wanted to educate more people about the civil construction industry and bring in more employees with little experience.
“I can see why [other civil construction companies] don’t do it, because there is no profit in it, but with community impact it’s really important to us,” Loader said.
“It’s part of our kaupapa, I suppose.”
Fin Ocheduszko Brown
Multimedia journalist ·Whanganui Chronicle·
19 Aug, 2026 05:00 AM
