Emerging engineers on climbing the career ladder

A pipeline of engineers is essential to Australia’s industry of nation builders. We checked in with three emerging leaders from Wood & Grieve Engineers on why a career in property has delivered in spades.

Engineers Australia’s State of the Professional report 2017, released earlier this month, found that Australia is failing to produce enough home-grown engineers.

But the local engineering talent is lining up to join WGE’s team.

Rebecca Dracup, a sustainability engineer, says the “grain that tipped the scales” for her occurred when a teacher said “a doctor can save one life, but an engineer can save hundreds”.

Dracup is inspired by projects that create great places for people and the natural environment, and has worked on a diverse range of sustainability projects from Old Perth Boys School fitout to Westpac’s Green Star volume certification.

“Challenging and satisfying” are the words Ann-Marie Kelly uses to describe her daily work activities.

Torn between art and maths at school, Kelly decided to test out her problem-solving skills and opted for a career as a building services engineer. Since then, she’s worked on a range of challenging projects, including Hollywood Hospital and Martimilli Art Gallery.

Kelly says her biggest surprise has been the confidence she’s gained during her time in the industry. “Despite being a female in a male-dominated workplace, I have been really supported by my colleagues and by WGE,” she says.

Fire engineer Luke Curtis always loved science and maths, and found their application was a “natural stepping stone” to a mechanical engineering degree.

“I’ve never looked back,” he says.

While he’s gathered valuable skills working on projects like Marina Tower and Hobart International Airport, Curtis says his most valuable lesson has been that soft skills, such as communication and teamwork, are as important as technical proficiency.

“Being a consultant in the property industry demands more than just being able to design and problem solve – you also need to be a good communicator,” he says, adding that he’s inspired to be part of an industry of nation builders.

Curtis says engineering can be a very rewarding career, “especially at the early stage of projects where the majority of innovative ideas occur. I love being able to work together as a team to configure a building to meet its architectural intent while also being safe for occupants,” he says.

“Talk to a variety of engineers” is Dracup’s advice to other young budding professionals.

“An engineer doesn’t just build bridges or engines. Their work is pervasive across so many industries that it’s a great choice for anyone with an affinity for technical interests.”

Curtis agrees.

“All streams of engineering are constantly growing and changing with new technologies and innovations, so the best thing you can do is be on the front foot and take on new challenges,” he says.

Kelly says she gets excited when she thinks about the possibilities ahead of her as her career progresses.

“Engineering is a great profession with many different career paths available. The important thing is to work hard,” she says.

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