Industry Professor Stephen Motley
The President of Industry Professor Association takes pride in presenting this citation to Industry Professor – Stephen Motley
Industry Experience
Stephen Motley brings over 35 years of deep, multi-faceted experience in the building and construction industry across the United Kingdom and Australia. In the UK, he held a leadership role at Mansell Construction, managing large-scale infrastructure projects including hospitals, shopping centres, council housing, and military base facilities. He went on to establish and run his own construction business, employing up to 50 staff and delivering across government and commercial contracts — a testament to both his technical skill and commercial acumen.
After emigrating to Australia, Stephen continued to demonstrate hands-on and strategic capability by founding Solent Building and Carpentry, offering residential and light commercial construction services across Brisbane and the Gold Coast. His practical proficiency encompasses carpentry, rendering, plastering, renovations, and overall project delivery. In parallel, Stephen has diversified into hospitality, marine tourism and accommodation businesses, having successfully operated a hotel, houseboats, hovercraft tours and a fishing charter business — collectively reflecting his entrepreneurial agility and adaptability within service-based and operational sectors. These ventures demonstrate his capacity not just to work in, but to lead and innovate across multiple industry domains.
Industry Endorsements
Stephen’s industry credibility is reflected in his sustained trust from vocational training institutions and legal firms. He has partnered with Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) such as Blue Dog Training and Busy at Work to provide high-quality on-the-job trade training for apprentices — often working in conjunction with Group Training Organisations (GTOs) to ensure practical skill development in real-world settings.
Stephen is also recognised in the legal sector for his industry knowledge and compliance capabilities. In his current role as Legal Operations Manager at Prosper Law, he brings practical trade insight to legal contract management, construction compliance, and dispute resolution. This role exemplifies his unique capacity to bridge practical site experience with operational legal knowledge — an increasingly important interface in the construction and infrastructure industries. His business, Solent Building and Carpentry, has developed a reputation for quality, reliability and compliance, reinforcing his status as a trusted operator.
Industry Training
Stephen Motley has demonstrated long-standing commitment to training and capacity building within the construction industry. Over the course of his career, he has directly mentored more than 15 apprentices, many of whom have gone on to win awards or establish their own successful construction businesses — including Alex Easterby, who was named Queensland Apprentice of the Year. His structured, employer-led training model emphasises workplace relevance, project accountability, and mentorship, aligning with contemporary best practices in trade education.
In addition to mentoring, Stephen contributes to the broader professional literacy of the industry through the publication of construction-related articles that distil his legal and operational knowledge into accessible guidance. These include topics such as managing liquidated damages, handling variation claims, and reducing disputes on building sites — all designed to elevate business competence within the trades. Through these written contributions, workplace mentorship, and professional leadership, Stephen exemplifies the commitment to knowledge sharing that defines the Industry Professor role.
Recognition Field
Stephen Motley’s field of recognition is Building and Construction, with a specific focus on residential and light commercial construction, trade business operations, and apprenticeship training. He embodies the principles of the Industry Professor designation through his unique blend of hands-on construction expertise, business ownership, legal-operational insight, and a strong commitment to mentoring and vocational education.
- About the Author
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As CEO of Industry Professor Association, I have a passion for education and learning that leads towards a productive outcome for Industry. The Industry Professor Association is a non-profit organisation that recognises industry expertise and experience and helps members gain the ultimate recognition of their Industry career. We also help organise their industry expertise by converting it into digital learning products and sharing it with a learner hungry world.
As a previous Head of School – Southbank Institute of Technology, it gave me great insight into educational design, corporate client learning needs, government policy and strategies. My goal was to meet the needs of industry in regards to providing graduates who were highly trained in practical skills and employability skills. Whilst meeting the learning style of a generation that is highly engaging with communication channels, and immersed in collaboration to gain learning at their time, place and pace.