Indigenous in Business - Ben Schaber - SWEL
Ben Schaber is the Founder and Director of Specialised Welding and Engineering (SWEL) in the Northern Territory. SWEL specialise in certifications, structural steel, oil, and gas pipelines, as well as labour hiring for mining sites. His inspirational story is one of success against the odds and landed him a spot as a finalist for the 32nd Annual Indigenous in Business Award.
Q: What was early life like for Ben and what kind of struggles did he face?
A: Born in 1974 in Alice Springs, Ben’s childhood was chequered and challenging. Ben’s father had him later in life after marrying the first Indigenous nurse in Australia, Rhona Glenn when he was in his 50’s. At that time, indigenous people needed to have a permit to be in Alice Springs, otherwise they risked being placed under arrest. Ben was placed in foster care as a young child but would often run away to find his parents, who would unfortunately always hand him back to the system. He felt that he was let down by a lot of people from a very young age. By the time he was a teenager, Ben ran into trouble with the law and found himself in prison.
Ben Schaber pictured with Joseph Assaf AO, Founder and Chairman of the EBA
Q: What was Bens turning point?
Ben remembers the loneliness he felt laying in his cell one evening. He was staring at the ceiling and asked himself “mate, what are you doing? This isn’t you”. This was a turning point for him, and he was determined to overcome his troubled past and make something of himself. He left prison six months later with nothing but the clothes on his back and a dream of becoming a boiler maker.
After his release, Ben spent a lot of time going to local engineering firms to find work. He was then offered a job as a labourer, which he did for around 3 years before taking on the role of apprentice boiler maker. Ben recounts that once he was given that opportunity “I finally felt that I had started becoming somebody”. Ben decided to travel around Australia, attending welding courses, trade-related workshops and obtaining additional qualifications.
Q: What inspired Ben to start his own business?
A: Ben met his partner Kylie in 1993, who he credits with helping him turn his life around. She helped him with his education and he stated that she was the driving factor for helping him to get his life back on track and starting his business. Ben returned to Alice Springs where he and Kylie started Specialised Welding and Engineering.
Ben Schaber pictured with Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Jenny Morrison
Q: How did Ben get the funds to start his business?
A: They were given a grant from the IBA to assist with starting the business, but it was a tough start for SWEL. They began to build brand and service reputation which would see it grow rapidly, winning major contracts from some of Australia’s most trusted and well-known brands. Their team grew bigger as well, expanding to around 30 staff members at its peak.
Q: What is SWEL currently working on?
A: SWEL obtained Australia’s biggest gold mine, the Newmont as a client. They’re responsible for doing all their refurbishments and certifications on their machines. Another major project that SWEL undertook is building the supreme court in Alice springs, which was their first major structural job.
Ben and the team at SWEL are constantly giving back to the indigenous community. They have a working program with a prison where they are able to employee Indigenous people who have been previously incarcerated and give them a leg up in the industry. Ben states that the reason he started Specialised Welding and Engineering was to “give the local unfortunate people like myself an opportunity…that it's not impossible to actually have a go”.
“My hope is that my accomplishments encourage others like me to believe in themselves. ”
