Dale Jones
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By
aerialaccess
Team Member Stories //
Dale Jones
Senior Diesel Mechanic Dale Jones was one of those kids with a hankering to know how things worked.
From basic remote control cars to trail bikes, he’d pull anything apart, just so he could
understand how it worked and then enjoy the satisfaction of putting it back together again.
“I was that kid and I’m sure my Dad probably hated it,” Dale reflects.
“I admit, these items didn’t always return to their original state. However, learning is something I’ve always enjoyed.”
That fascination with machinery later turned into a valuable skill that now sees Dale sought after as a diesel mechanic with a specialist interest in heavy machinery.
Having started out as an 18-year-old apprentice, he’s worked on everything from excavators to tilt trucks, elevated work platforms, and scissor lifts.
It’s a career that has taken him from family run workshops servicing farm machinery to fleet maintenance specialists looking after clients including Melbourne City Council and major
telecommunications providers.
Along the way, he’s put his problem-solving and mechanical skills to great use, diagnosing
complex machinery problems, organising parts, conducting inspections, and getting creative with occasional design and fabrication work.
It’s for this expertise that Dale was headhunted to join Active Tree Service’s Fleet department back in 2023.
Dale explains, he was working at High Access Group as the lead and only diesel mechanic in their workshop when Active’s Chris Sanderson happened to reach out.
Impressed with Dale’s understanding of Active’s style of equipment, Chris decided to pop by for
a visit.
“Sando came to the workshop to see my work and surprisingly I was given a job offer,” Dale recalls.
Dale didn’t think much of it at the time however over the months that followed, Chris regularly touched base.
“Seven months later, he rang and insisted I come and have a look at the Bayswater depot, and I happened to be heading that way to pick up my daughter, so I thought it would be unfair not to,”
Dale says.
The depot turned out to be six minutes from Dale’s house rather than a daily hour and 20-minute commute.
Active also offered the opportunity for further career advancement.
It was these two factors that sealed the deal, with Dale stepping into the role of senior diesel mechanic at Active almost two years ago.
The job involves conducting maintenance on Active’s fleet of machinery and servicing equipment for their sister company Aerial Access, while also mentoring younger team members.
On any given day Dale might be working on trucks, EWPs, jarraffs, chippers, excavators, and an array of other equipment.
“Having an extensive background in towers, I am often working on the Versalift EWPs, tower repairs and/or maintenance,” Dale says.
“But I also still work on all the other machinery.”
With a major background in specialist equipment, Dale’s expertise lies in diagnostic problem solving and it’s a skill he’s honed during a career that’s spanned more than 20 years as a diesel mechanic.
“When it comes to troubleshooting, you develop this good nose for it,” he says.
“You just get a vibe and a gut feeling that something specific needs to be checked.”
He has also applied that problem solving in highly creative ways, particularly during his time at High Access Group.
“The variety of machinery we worked on was off the scale, and some of it was very specialised,” Dale explains.
“But there were also some weird and wonderful things as well, such as designing and fabricating light fittings for Melbourne City Council, including manufacturing Christmas decorations.”
Since joining Active, Dale has also had some of his additional skills formally recognised.
“I have a really big interest in auto-electrical work. I also have a good background in that and experience,” Dale says.
“Active’s Leading hand nominated me to improve my skillset and become a qualified
auto-electrician via Recognition of Prior Learning.
“As part of that I was able to add auto-electrical to my CV.”
Outside of work Dale is a devoted partner and dad to three girls, who loves nothing more than spending time with his family in the great outdoors.
“I love 4WDs, trail bikes, camping and fishing,” he says.
“With a busy family and work, there often isn’t the time, but last year we bought a caravan and went to Uluru and back, and that was sensational.”
As for the future, Dale says his is with Active.
He’d be keen to transition into a supervisor role or, better yet, would love to put his
problem-solving skills to the ultimate test.
“I would absolutely love to work in product development,” he says.
“I have a big background working with so many different types of equipment and there’s nothing better than the challenge of finding a way to make something work.”