I started with this company in 2000 because I had a family member recommend me Hazel. I came in with prior experience in concrete and masonry but nothing specific to blasting. I really appreciate the crew that I started with because they communicated well and were willing to show me how to operate machinery.

Once I was able to form the foundational skills needed for the blasting division, my foreman started to train me on a mechanical drill. More recently, they have given me the opportunity to run a brand-new drill that makes the work safer and gets the job done more efficiently.

I think this company does a great job in developing their workforce and one of the ways they do that is providing learning and training opportunities. Whether it’s on blasting basics, Hazmat, or safety training, further advancing in your career is encouraged. I’m excited and expectant to continue to grow my career with this company!

I first knew about Hazel because of the red trucks and the projects I saw around the area. I have been in construction and around heavy equipment since I was sixteen years old. I have 10+ years of experience as an excavator operator and know how to operate almost every machine. The way I learned how to operate machinery is with hands on training. This is essential because it’s one thing to be instructed on how to move a machine and it’s another to attempt to do it yourself.

I have referred family members to this company because of the job opportunities they offer. There’s vast room to grow professionally in your career within the company. I get along well with the crews that I have been placed with, everyone communicates well, and my supervisors trust me. I appreciate the reward I receive knowing that I can play a role in developing land for future homes or other infrastructure to grow communities in the Northern Virginia Area.

I was recommended to Hazel by a friend and started out in the field building manholes and operating pieces of equipment here and there. I became interested in driving dump trucks and was given the opportunity to receive my CDL. I ended up driving demos and later focused on lowboys. I have been driving lowboys for the past 20+ years.

I appreciate this industry because it’s challenging, you grow tremendously in workmanship. You also get to meet people from many different backgrounds. The best advice I have received and continue to pass on is to strive for proper communication because working siloed is not efficient nor productive. Some of my best memories of the company are from our yearly picnics where I would assist in bringing heavy equipment for children to play on!

I came to this company as a motor grader operator and progressively became a stone foreman. I acquired a fascination for the graders because of the challenge. You can fine-tune your work with it and develop roads with greater precision. I have also refined my skill sets on the GPS functions of equipment which have become such an asset when grading.

The best advice I would give those interested in the industry is to be consistent, have a positive attitude and ask a lot of questions. Take all the advice and learn what you can get from others that have been doing this kind of work for years. There’s a vast amount of career opportunities in this industry and what better place to grow professionally than Hazel!