Piling industry veteran Tyler Wilbur is always learning on the job, because he believes “there is no substitute for experience.”
As Doublestar Drilling’s Calgary-based general manager, Wilbur supports a culture of constant improvement. It’s his job to ensure that company and customers “fit together and work.” That starts with fostering a growth mindset that encourages Doublestar Drilling to take action when it confronts a challenge.
Piling Canada welcomes Wilbur to discuss his career and current role, how technology is impacting piling and shoring and his advice for industry newcomers.
How did your career develop?
Tyler Wilbur (TW): I have always been in construction. In my early 20s, I owned a British Columbia business that built engineered retaining walls, foundations and commercial irrigation systems. In 2008, I moved my family to Alberta to pursue a career in foundations. I started with Almita Piling, then moved to Graham Construction to help build their piling division, then went on to Doublestar Drilling (DSD), where I have been for the last 10 years.
What drew you to DSD, and what has your progression within the company looked like?
TW: Our then-president, Ian Hunt, approached me about joining him to help build up the business, as we had done at Almita and Graham Construction. I liked the potential growth opportunities and the fact that the owner was directly involved in the business. Things move faster and we can achieve more when the decision-making process is less cumbersome.
What are some key lessons you’ve learned throughout your career in deep foundations?
TW: There is no substitute for experience. This industry has learned from its mistakes and a team is only as strong as its weakest member. I have made a lot of mistakes along the way, and they are the experiences I’ve built on. As strong as our aversion is for making mistakes, I believe they and the learnings they generate are good things, and they are a necessary part of building experience.
”[The industry doesn’t] invest as much time as we should in educating developers and consultants about new technologies. Once we do, we will see newer technologies gain more traction in certain markets.”
Tyler Wilbur, Doublestar Drilling
What does your average day on the job look like?
TW: [Providing] support. Whether our internal team needs it, or our clients are leaning on us for solutions, I need to ensure that the pieces fit together and work. We are constantly looking for new market opportunities, either for our current capabilities or new applications. Estimating, project management, forecasting, purchasing equipment, walking jobsites, meeting and engineering take up the rest of my typical day.
What are some of the most significant changes you’ve seen in the deep foundations sector?
TW: Safety has come a long way. There are some great people who work tirelessly to move this needle in our industry – Rick Marshall (The International Association of Foundation Drilling) and Kevin Sharp (ECA Canada), just to name two. [Editor’s note: Read more about Sharp.] Compared to other countries I have seen, I appreciate how much safety is integrated into everything we do here in Canada and the U.S. I have also seen our industry struggle to self-advocate when it comes to standards and specifications that impact us. And, when it comes to people, I’ve seen more of them realizing they can make a viable long-term career in this industry. I don’t know if people saw the opportunities in the past as much as they do now.
How do you see technology impacting piling and shoring in the coming years?
TW: This is a unique time. You can work with drillers who have only ever known pulling levers and using a clutch and gears to run a drill. You can also experience the latest computer interfaces that allow for real time down-the-hole monitoring and drill performance data. The drive to electrically powered rigs is also interesting to watch. I think our industry has more control over technologies and how to apply them than we take advantage of – we don’t invest as much time as we should in educating developers and consultants about new technologies. Once we do, we will see newer technologies gain more traction in certain markets.
Can you highlight a challenging project that you are particularly proud of?
TW: The noteworthy projects are the ones where we had difficulties and still achieved a desired outcome. My favourite project would be the East-West Tie Transmission line – a major micropile program in Northern Ontario. We installed thousands of lineal metres of micropiles over almost two years, in some of the most picturesque wilderness along Lake Superior. The terrain was rugged and it was very challenging work, but a classic Canadian project.
What do you mean by ‘classic Canadian project?’
TW: Most of the material was sourced from Canada and it was on the Canadian shield in Northern Ontario, along the top of Lake Superior. Also, it was to provide upgraded power to some First Nations communities along the way.
Are there any upcoming projects or company initiatives that you’re excited about?
TW: We are working on elevating our internal project controls to a higher level. Automating project performance and transparency is a key piece we have been focusing on for the past six months. The objective is to take away some manual project management processes to allow more time to work on relationships and be more proactive about coming challenges. It’s been a long road to understand how project performance will be evaluated, because we don’t particularly want to compete on price. We want to compete on a combination of value and relationships with our trade partners and general contractors.
What do you see as the biggest opportunities and challenges for the industry in the next five years?
TW: People represent both opportunities and challenges. We need more people at all levels, from groundspeople to engineers. In the foundations industry, we are a collection of trades – but today, it appears not enough young people are coming into the trades. We need more variety and perspectives to build a diverse approach to piling and shoring.
What advice would you give to someone looking to build a career in piling and shoring?
TW: If you dedicate yourself to the industry, there is no limit to where you can go. This can be a very rewarding field if you really apply yourself and invest in learning. Generally speaking, there appears to be more opportunities for advancement than other industries. There is a healthy number of educational conferences and training, and the industry also accommodates a broad range of construction-related designations.
Finally, how do you stay motivated and continue growing as a leader in this industry?
TW: Leading is not easy. I am motivated by watching the people around me who are actively moving the needle, both personally and professionally. To share in the success of what other people are accomplishing together keeps me coming back every day.