IT WAS a different time when John Fenning first started working for MidCoast Council.

And you would expect that given that John has just notched up 50 years in his job.

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Working out of the Stroud depot, John started in August of 1973 as a 20-year-old.

“I walked in and asked the senior engineer if I could have a job.

“I came back a week later, jumped in a truck and on my first day I was driving a loader, no safety training or a safety manual in sight.

“I did about 25 to 30 years of driving the loader.”

But as you would expect there’s not much in the job that John hasn’t done.

He became a relief plant operator, worked on the construction gang and joined the tar crew in 2000.

And he said it’s the love of his job that keeps him coming back every single day.

“My wife thinks I’m crazy because I get into the depot at about 5.30am, open the gates for the boys, open the shed, turn on the heaters.

“She says ‘You’re getting older but you’re getting to work earlier and earlier’,” he said.

“I’ve done a lot of years in the sun but if you love your job, it keeps you young.

“I tell the whingers, ‘if you don’t like the job – you found the gate in, you can find the gate out’.

“The secret to a happy working life is being honest and loyal to the people around you.”

Working for MidCoast Council runs in the family with John’s son Michael working alongside him at the Stroud depot.

MidCoast Council General Manager Adrian Panuccio applauded John for his dedication to the job.

“Congratulations to John and his family bringing up 50 years of employment is an amazing achievement,” he said.

“He is Council’s longest serving employee and we value and appreciate everything John has done for the community during his time with Council.”