Taylor Blair Cruising through a traineeship: Taylor’s award-winning work on the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal
You don’t need a marine background to find a great career with PBPL. Just ask Taylor Blair. The former Gymnastics Coach’s career pivoted when he joined our ICT department. In his new role, Taylor has made great strides - so much so that his work as Telecommunications Technician has been recognised at a national level.
ALL IN A DAY'S WORK
Every day, Taylor Blair collaborates with our ICT team to establish physical infrastructure and communication lines around the Port. The goal? To keep operations running smoothly. One of his recent projects was also one of our biggest - the construction of the new Brisbane International Cruise Terminal (BICT).
“Designing the network for the new cruise terminal was a real learning curve. It was necessary to adjust the plan after construction had already commenced. We had to redesign the blueprint while factoring in the existing groundwork.”
Taylor stepped up to the challenge; he took initiative to lead the telecommunications redesign, under the supervision of his manager. That’s quite a feat, especially for a trainee.
“Seeing it come together and actually work was a great experience. There was something like three kilometres of fibre in the building. It was a big job, spanning months of work. It’s exciting to see it open now.”
Taylor isn’t one to sing his own praises, but colleagues wouldn’t let his hard work go unnoticed. His manager nominated him for the Young Achievement Award in 2020’s DCN Australian Shipping & Maritime Industry Awards. Taylor was highly commended for his work on the BICT, particularly for someone so early in their career.
Our nationally recognised telecommunications technician has come a long way over the past few years - especially considering his previous role was completely outside the realm of ICT.TRADING BACKFLIPS FOR SHIPS
Taylor grew up on trampolines, monkey bars and gymnastic mats. As a teenager, he coached the sport - a career path he continued after graduating high school. However, he was soon ready for a change - that’s when a job advertisement to join us as a Trainee caught his eye.
“I decided I wanted to get into IT, but I had no industry experience. When I stumbled across the ad, I thought it would be a good opportunity to get my foot in the door.”
In 2019, Taylor began learning on the job and, eager to excel, completed his Certificate III in Telecommunications Technology. It’s clear Taylor is thriving at PBPL. When asked why, he’s quick to point to his team.
“My managers encourage me to learn at my own pace. It’s important to make your own mistakes - it’s the only way to learn how to problem-solve. At PBPL, I get support when I need it, but they also step back at the right time so I can own my work.”
Dedication and perseverance underpin Taylor’s work ethic. His team is highly efficient at what they do - but never at the expense of quality.
“At the Port, we often have a quick turnaround on projects, but we always do them to the best of our ability. We never settle for second best.”
Among the busy working week, Taylor says he’s found a truly supportive and collaborative environment. He shares his top learnings for anyone looking to join the PBPL team:
“It’s a very flexible workplace and a good place to learn. I guess I’m proof of that - I’ve grown a lot in just a year and a half. But above all else, it’s the people that make it great. They’re always willing to help out the new recruits.”
Thank you, Taylor, for the drive and infectious ambition you bring to the Port community.
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