Hastings digger driver Pearl Jury reckons girls can do anything

Reporter Community News

Pearl Jury made history in 2018 by becoming the first woman to achieve her Civil Trade Certificate in New Zealand.
Right now, she is working on Hastings District Council’s new Te Pōhue water treatment site. That project is part of the council’s Hastings Drinking Water Strategy, which includes upgrading all small community water supplies across the district.
The list of projects that Jury has worked on across Hawke’s Bay and beyond is impressive – she and her digger have helped build airstrips, dams, subdivisions, the Hastings-Napier expressway, and the region’s newest major road, Te Ara Kahikatea.
Her advice to young women who love being outdoors and are deciding on their career options is to think about heavy machinery operation.
“It is fantastic; I love every minute of it. There’s something special about driving over or looking at projects you’ve been involved in and feeling a real level of satisfaction.”