For Ben Helmers, construction was a career path inspired by family. His father was a surveyor and foreman, and Ben spent time on sites as a teenager. “By the time I was in high school, I was often going to projects with him,” he recalls. “It was at that time I decided that I wanted to be a project manager. I’d had a lot of exposure to the PMs, and the time and encouragement they gave me just helped me on my way.”
That decision took him to study engineering, and then onto working on major civil projects across Queensland and New South Wales before returning to Canberra. It was here that he joined Woden Contractors, where he has been for over a decade and is now Managing Director. “The opportunity came up to work with Wodens, and it’s been a fantastic experience. I wanted to be part of projects that mattered to the community, and Wodens gave me that chance.”
Since then, Ben has contributed to some of Canberra’s most significant infrastructure. He highlighted the Butters Bridge in the Molonglo Valley as a particularly memorable job. Butters Bridge, named after eminent engineer Sir John Butters, is one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the Southern Hemisphere and bears a discreet 600 millimetre sewerage pipe. “That was one of the most interesting projects I’ve been involved with. It was a very technical bridge for its time and was recognised with an MBA award.” Ben also points to standout projects including the Bowen Place Crossing near the National Gallery, stages of the Gundaroo Drive duplication, works at Denman Prospect and, currently, the upgrade of the Monaro Highway. “The Monaro Highway upgrade is the largest contract the company has ever had, so it’s a real milestone.”
Working with Wodens, a company founded in 1958 and one of the oldest privately-owned civil construction companies in Australia, comes with responsibility. “Wodens has been around for over 60 years and built a reputation on strong foundations. You feel that responsibility when you’re working on behalf of the company. There’s a lot of history, and it’s about more than just the jobs; it’s about quality, about a reputation built over decades.”
The industry has transformed over Ben’s career. “Digitisation and GPS technology have been game changers,” he explains. “The levels of accuracy and efficiency are incredible compared to what was possible before. But you’ve still got to have people who understand the basics. Technology is a tool, not a substitute for experience.”
Ben is passionate about bringing more diversity into civil construction. “We’ve been involved in the Women in Civil program, and I’ve seen firsthand the benefits of having more women on site. It changes the culture in a positive way and makes teams stronger and more balanced.”
But there are challenges too. “There’s more red tape, more compliance, more pressure on margins. Housing affordability is a big one. It affects civil works because demand for land drives demand for roads and infrastructure. Immigration is strong, people want to live here, but we’ve got to keep up with the infrastructure.”
Through these challenges, the Master Builders Association has been an anchor. “The MBA has always been our advocate,” Ben says. “During COVID, when costs were spiralling, they were the ones arguing for escalation clauses and relief. They’re the ones who deal with unions, WorkSafe, training. They give us the backing we need.”
Recognition through MBA awards has also meant a lot to Ben and his colleagues. “Those awards are judged by our peers. That recognition means a lot because it shows that what we’re doing stands up to the best in the industry.”
For Ben, the highlights of his career are not just about projects, but people. “I’ve always tried to make sure that the people working with me have the opportunity to succeed. I had people who gave me guidance when I was young, and I want to do the same. It’s about paying it forward and building strong teams.”
