Driver case study – Waldemar Zawislak

Driver case study – Waldemar Zawislak

Waldemar, or Val as his known to his colleagues and friends has been a driver at George Davies turf since 2015. A true jack of all trades, Val spent two-years working at GDT part-time, helping in the yard and supporting the team with all manner of tasks before completing his HGV training. An experienced cabinet maker by trade, Val, like many of his fellow drivers has a unique set of skills and qualities that make him a valuable member of the GDT family.

His creativity and skilled craftmanship enables him to turn his hand to anything, earning him the well-used title of ‘Master of All’. From fixing racks that contain turf, to building bespoke wooden storage shelves around the yard, there is a lot more to Val than meets the eye.

Val said, “I was working as a cabinet maker, specialising in oak furniture when my wife first put me in touch with George Davies. It’s a trade that runs in my family as my brother is also very gifted in this area. When the shop closed down six years ago, I knew I needed to find something new and to consider alternative industries that would allow me to use my existing skills and experience.

When I first met George, I liked him straight away and knew it was a good team to work with. Everyone was very helpful and friendly, and George supported me to get my HGV licence whilst I worked part-time gaining experience in the yard and learning about the turf industry.

Once I completed all the necessary training and qualifications George gave me my very own lorry which has both my name and my daughter Nicola printed on the front and side.”

Being a driver wasn’t something Val had considered as a career but it’s something he’s grown to love and has become incredibly skilled at. From loading the lorries in the morning and completing up to twelve deliveries a day, to checking the turf and preparing for the following day’s trips – no two days are the same and Val loves the variety and being able to travel to new places, meeting new people and building up relationships with his regular customers.

Val says, “The GDT staff are all great to work with and I have enjoyed socialising inside and outside of work with them.”

When he’s not driving trucks, and when his wife isn’t putting his skills to use with building jobs around the house, Val enjoys taking relaxing fishing trips at the weekend and spending quality time with his family.