Spotlight: William Dayman- Veteran to Project Management with Cushman & Wakefield

Tell us a little about your career in the Australian Army?

I joined the Army in September 2015 as a Combat Engineer in Townsville Queensland and progressed to an Engineer Surveyor role in 2019 in Sydney, New South Wales. I was in the army for 6 years doing full time service and am still currently an inactive reservist based in Sydney. When I relocated to Sydney as a Surveyor, there were only 10 other surveyors in the Army. My role was construction based and part of my role involved being flown out to different areas of Australia to rebuild remote indigenous communities. I personally didn’t see myself working in Defence long term however I am grateful for the career progression, knowledge and experience I had gained.

How did you hear about Cushman & Wakefield & our Veteran initiative?

I had heard about Cushman & Wakefield through my wife, and she believed that I should get into the Real Estate industry, specifically in Project Management. I had then seen the video that was posted by Cushman & Wakefield regarding a current Veteran within the business. I took the opportunity to reach out to employees at Cushman & Wakefield and made connections on LinkedIn. I was particularly excited about a career in Commercial Real Estate. I was able to learn about the Veteran Initiative through the video campaign on LinkedIn and thought there was no harm in reaching out.

What made you reach out to us?

Once I watched the video, I particularly liked the aspect of the program and the opportunity to employ Veterans. I really appreciated that in a company which was a factor in applying.  

Could you share your experience of working with C&W so far?

My experience with Cushman & Wakefield, to sum it up it has been, unexpected. I have found within C&W that people who weren’t directly from the PDS team would come up and introduce themselves. Everyone has been extremely welcoming. I am blown away by the support of my colleagues, considering I am not from a typical Project Management background. The support is always there. The social aspect is great, and culture has been amazing. I am grateful for the hybrid model, as well as the Flexible Working Arrangements, as it has enabled work life balance for me. I have been able to build a lot of trust within the business and found there is no ego in the culture. I have been actively involved in projects such as ‘Steptember’ to contribute to the culture in the New South Wales Project Services team.

How are you finding your career in Project Management?

Firstly, Project Management is not easy. I have come from a construction background in the Australian Army, so I have definitely found my feet in this space. A lot of what I am doing is similar to what I was doing in the past, in terms of systems and communication with key stakeholders and clients. I would consider that my forte and enjoy being active with my clients. I have had the opportunity to travel in my role to Melbourne and Canberra to visit sites. The work can be challenging at times but when you have the right people and resources, it becomes easily manageable. I have been able to learn how to manage my workload and prioritise my tasks, which has helped me a lot since starting at C&W. I am grateful to see a career pathway for myself at C&W, with the potential to go into a Project Manager role. I have been supported by my colleagues during this process and am looking forward to what the future brings in terms of my career progression. ​​​​​​​

What are you most excited about regarding your career with Cushman & Wakefield?

Culture. Contributing to the culture is super important to me. Efficient team morale will increase team efficiency. I am looking forward to a long career at C&W and remaining in a role where I feel supported. I am also looking forward to progressing my career to a Project Manager role, which is my goal.

Do you have any advice for your fellow service members who are looking to transition into a corporate environment?

My best advice for my fellow service members would be to get of your comfort zone. Getting out of your comfort zone will progress you as an individual. Working in Defence can feel comfortable at times; however, it is a tough culture to operate in. Don’t be afraid to break that safety net and take that next step. I am grateful to come on board to a company like Cushman & Wakefield with my background. I don’t have an engineering degree and am conscious that there are not many positions out there that don’t require a Tertiary Qualification, however C&W look outside of the box and look at transferrable skills.