Stephen celebrates 40 years at Logan City Council
Can you remember what you were doing 40 years ago?
Stephen Scofield was starting work at Logan City Council – thanks to dad Rob, who already worked there.
40 years later, Stephen still works at Council, now as a Source Control Technical Officer. His dad retired after 20 years at the organisation in 2001.
Stephen began his career with Council at Queens Road Wastewater Treatment Plant and Smith Road Depot. He worked in the Treatment Plant Operations area for 11 years. As Treatment Plant Operator and Supervisor Stephen was responsible for supporting significant plant upgrades and supporting the design and operation of the adjacent turf farm operation amongst numerous other projects.
During 2006 Stephen moved to Logan Water’s Source Control Team, where he continues to this day.
Stephen was hired when his dad enquired if there was a job going for his son who had recently graduated from school – and was told to ‘bring him along the following Monday’.
Recruitment in 1983 was a more casual affair than in 2023.
‘I’ve always enjoyed the work – I have gone from sewerage construction and treatment, through the to what I am doing now, and I have enjoyed all those roles,’ Stephen says.
‘A lot of things have changed – I don’t think I was ever inducted as such – but it’s always been a good place to work. I am in touch with a many of the people who have come and gone over the years.
‘My daughters used to come along to family days we would have, and it has always been great.
‘I’ve seen our community change too and become bigger when the boundary changed with the Gold Coast.’
Dad Rob says while he and Stephen ‘kept work talk at work’, it was good to have the shared experience – even as Stephen admits when he was young it ‘wasn’t always ideal’ to be working with his dad.
‘Stephen came to work with me from when he could walk, he would come on milk runs with me when I was doing that when he was very little – we have always been close,’ he says.
‘When I left Council, I always thought I would keep coming back and annoying Stephen, who pretty much took over from me – but I never did!
‘The technology that is used there now is unreal.’
