Let’s meet Jess

When Heavy Lift Senior Supervisor Jess McCaskie first moved to Port Hedland, she had a two-year-plan. Little did she know, that two years later, she would be loving life and Port Hedland would become a new home for her.  

Starting as a Rigging Trades Assistant at the age of 18 was just the beginning of an incredible career for Jess.  

“I started in the industry when I was 18 as a Rigging Trades Assistant assembling pipe racks for a gold mine project (spent a lot of time on the rattle gun!)” Jess said. 

“My career so far has covered a few different sectors from marine maintenance and oil & gas, to construction and general taxi hire." 

Over the years, Jess moved up the ranks, advancing from an Advanced Rigger to a C1 Operator. Eventually, she earned her CO ticket and operated crawler cranes and all terrains in Perth before making the move to Port Hedland.  

“After realising that my previous role wasn’t where I wanted my career to go, I switched to Heavy Lift and haven’t looked back." 

Jess joined the team at Monos' in February 2023 and has been having an amazing time ever since - thriving on the fast-paced lifestyle. 

“Things change on a dime in a depot environment, and you have to make quick decisions,” she notes.  

“My colleagues in the Port Hedland depot are like my extended family. We all work as one, and my day wouldn’t be as enjoyable or successful without the quality people I work with." 

When asked why she would recommend the industry to others, Jess’s enthusiasm is clear.  

“The industry is continually evolving. There’s so much to learn and so many different fields you can branch off into; the opportunities really are endless,” she says. 

But life at Monos' is just one part of Jess’s story. Outside of work, she is a busy mum to two girls aged seven and eight.  

“My time off is usually spent running them between activities and birthday parties, making endless snacks, and playing referee when their sibling squabbles get out of hand,” she shares.  

As for what’s next in her career, Jess is keeping an open mind.  

“We had a two-year plan for Port Hedland. Our two-year plan is up this August, and we’ve just moved into our own house we purchased here, so that’s obviously gone out the window. Guess we will have to wait and see what unfolds!” she said.