Kathy serves her family, her community and her country
Kathy Lawrence is an Administration Officer for Boral Concrete in Cairns. She is also a Private in the Army Reserve, passionate about supporting Indigenous communities and a proud mum of three.
Her father served in the Army and always hoped that one of his children would follow in his footsteps. When her son turned two, Kathy started looking for opportunities to return to work and began the process of enlisting as a driver in the Army.
Kathy joined Boral in 2011 in a part-time role. Her initial intention was to stay until she completed her basic army training, but in 2013 she changed her mind. At that point, with her army training under her belt, she decided to transition to full-time work with Boral, which supported her to continue as an active member of the Army Reserve.
Kathy gained a range of valuable qualifications and skills in her first two years with the Army, including her Approved Driving Instructor certification. Today, as a Private in the 51st Battalion Far North Queensland Regiment, Kathy is involved in reconnaissance and surveillance tasks as well as a wide range of community engagement activities.
In 2017, the Army asked her to assist in recruiting women in Wujal Wujal, a small Aboriginal community situated a four-hour drive north of Cairns. She jumped at the chance.
“I felt very privileged to support these ladies through their journey, from sitting with them while they made the call to recruiting, to marching alongside them in the Anzac Day parade at Wujal Wujal,” Kathy said.
While much of Kathy’s army responsibilities take place outside of her normal work hours, there are times where it does overlap. Kathy says she is grateful for the support she receives from Boral.
“I would not be able to do any of this if I didn’t have the support of Boral and, most importantly, my manager Jim Mildren. I am truly grateful and appreciate the opportunity to continue serving my country,” she said.
“Boral recognises the skills and qualities that we’ve gained through our time in the forces,”
“The Boral Defence Force Alumni provides excellent support and brings together a strong community of like-minded people within the company. We all share the same drive and commitment to our goals, as well as a sense of duty. The Alumni is a great way for us to think about how we can apply our skills in our roles at Boral.”
For more information about the Boral Defence Force Alumni, visit boral.com/careers.