I’ve always been drawn to construction and found it fascinating to understand how things get built. I’ve also always been good at maths, so when it came time to choose what to study, civil engineering felt like the right path for me.
Right now, I’m part of the North East Link Project structures team on the Southern Surface Works in Bulleen. We’re building the Tanking Slab and Piers to the Land Bridge. A typical day begins at 7am with prestart meetings, then it’s a mix of other duties such as cost tracking, meetings with subcontractors, quality inspections, procuring materials and handover coordination meeting with nightshift. However, no two days are the same.
Early in your career, especially as a woman, you get used to the feeling that people are watching to see if you know what you’re doing, and you have to prove that you do. Working on North East Link, I feel so supported and once people know you can take responsibility and handle pressure, opportunities start opening.
If you’re drawn to construction, don’t let the idea that it’s a male-dominated industry hold you back. That mindset has to go. If you love the work, that’s what matters. Your work will speak for itself.