John Doust

Published on: 12 October 2016

John Doust (1948) comments on his career journey:

How did an old construction contractor become a university tutor? I had a very great friend, George Noe, who ran a large construction company MR Hornibrook (NSW) Pty Ltd. At the end of WW2, George stayed in Australia and joined the Hornibrook Group. Sir Manuel Hornibrook who mentored me and whom I am greatly indebted to, introduced me to George Noe. George and I worked together in different parts of the world for many years. It was in Los Angeles when we were having a drink at the end of the day he said, “You know John, the sad thing about when you die is that you take all your knowledge with you.” So when I got past my use by date out in the construction world, I thought about George’s words of wisdom, that is how I became a tutor at Curtin University in the field of Building Technology.

I am now going into my seventh year as a tutor of first, second and third year students studying a Bachelor of Applied Science (Construction Management). I tutor students on the practical aspects of construction from building a single storey dwelling, multi-storey structures, bridges, tunnels and road works etc. Another function I have at Curtin University is to organise the student site visits which becomes quite a logistical exercise as we send 300 students to different construction sites.
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