AECOM

How did you get to your current job position? How did you choose your specialisation?

I applied for the Graduate Program at AECOM after hearing great things about the people and culture at AECOM (they were right!), and I started working here at the beginning of 2020.  

My dad was a flight engineer and so I grew up with a problem-solving mindset and a keen interest in maths and physics. After a general first year at university, the subjects that interested me the most were transport related which falls within the civil engineering discipline. I now work as a Civil Engineer in the Highways Team in Brisbane!

What was your interview process like? What kind of questions were you asked?

The interview process was very streamlined and involved online tests and video interview, an in-person assessment centre, followed by a one-on-one interview with our team lead. The assessment centre had group activities and we gave a brief presentation after being given an interesting problem to solve. 

What does your employer do?

AECOM works across many areas such as Civil Infrastructure, Buildings and Places, Resources & Industrial and Environment, ranging from small local projects to Mega projects. There really is something for everyone! 

What are your areas of responsibility?

My areas of responsibility are contributing to the planning of road upgrades and new roads, and the many associated pieces of infrastructure. This involves optioneering, design, producing technical outputs, quantifying inputs to support cost estimation, coordination of sketches and reporting. I am also a Deputy Project Manager on my project so I track things like the project budget.  

Can you describe a typical work day? What was the last thing you worked on?

I am currently working on road infrastructure planning jobs and a typical day at work for me involves optioneering potential design solutions with my project team, using software such as AutoCAD and participating in meetings with Clients. I also participate in community consultation sessions for projects, which is an interesting aspect of my work where I get to interact with the community members, see how the work we do benefits the community and also understand their challenges and concerns. 

What are the career prospects with your job?

There are endless career prospects within the industry as a civil engineer, and there will be plenty of interesting projects in the future prior to the Brisbane 2032 Games. AECOM has both technical streams and project management streams, depending on your interests. I am starting the process of becoming chartered with Engineers Australia which requires five years of experience. I hope to continue to work on a variety of interesting projects, and to spend some time in a different AECOM office or even overseas eventually! 

What do you love the most about your job? Which kind of task do you enjoy the most?

I love that there are always new things to investigate and new problems to solve! I enjoy coming to work and being surrounded by a diverse range of people who I can chat to and learn from. 

I am also involved with the Connect Committee which is our early professional committee for graduates and early professionals with 0-6 years' experience. The Committee organises professional development events such as interesting lunch and learns, client networking events,  and a variety of social events throughout the year! 

What’s the biggest limitation of your job? Do you bear a lot of responsibility? Do you have to work on the weekends? Are the stress levels high?

The sky is the limit! Like many jobs, there are ups and downs in terms of quieter and busier periods, but AECOM encourages a great work-life balance and I have always felt supported by my team to deliver things on time and avoid any work on weekends. I have felt supported by my team to take on new roles and responsibilities, even during my time as a graduate, and continue to learn and develop in my career. 

Which three pieces of advice would you give to a current university student?

If I could go back and give myself three pieces of advice, they would be: 

1. Travel abroad if you can! I participated in an Engineers Without Borders (EWB) trip to Malaysia and did a 6-month exchange at the Technical University of Munich in Germany, both of which were highlights of my time at university. 
   There are many grants/schemes available for overseas study, so it is definitely something worth looking into. 
2. Aim to get 8 hours of sleep - I know it's hard with assessment but getting enough sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your mental health and wellbeing.
3. Try and get work experience relating to your interests, it will give you an idea of what the industry is like and is also a valuable opportunity to grow your skills and network!

How did you get to your current job position?

When I was still at university, I applied to be an undergraduate at AECOM over the 2018 summer break. I was lucky enough to score a position as a structural engineer in the Resources and Industrial team. Fortunately for me, and unfortunately for everyone else in my team I have stuck around ever since, and started full time as a graduate in July 2021.

How did you choose your specialisation?

I chose to follow the structural pathway as those were the subjects I enjoyed the most at university and I always thought it would be so interesting to see what you design. However, as for the resources and industrial part, this is something I just fell into through the AECOM process and I have absolutely loved working on major mining projects and something I see myself doing for years to come!

What was your interview process like? What kind of questions were you asked?

The interview process was pretty easy-going, with a mixture of a game like test, followed by a video interview and the finally an in person interview with a HR representative and my eventual team lead. The questions that were asked were mostly to do with myself and what I see for my future. I was expecting a few technical questions, however I fortunately didn’t have to deal with anything tricky.

What does your employer do?

AECOM works on all types of project, whether they be small or mega projects all over the world. The main 4 business lines are Civil Infrastructure, Resources and Industrial, Buildings and Places and Environment, meaning there are so many options for you!

What are your areas of responsibility?

My areas of responsibility can include the structural design of any element within a mine, whether that be on the surface or underground. This can include something completely from scratch where you come up with a concept, sketch it up, get it drafted by a designer and then have that go through all the AECOM quality assurance process’ before going out for construction.  

Can you describe a typical work day? What was the last thing you worked on?

My current work day usually begins around 7:45am in the office, where I’ll get in, catch up with my colleagues, grab a coffee and settle in for the day. Depending on what my goals are for that week, there will be numerous tasks that can take up my day. This can include using various software or hand calculations to look at my structures, marking up drawings for the designers to get ready or checking drawings prior to them being issued. 

The most recent structure I have been working on has been a series of overland conveyors stretching almost 1km, which will eventually transport ore. This has been great as it’s my first time working on something like this and I have learnt a lot! 

What are the career prospects with your job?

There are many different pathways you can take at AECOM, whether that be an engineer, an architect or anything for that matter! There are 4 different pathways you can take which are being a technical lead, a project or program manager, a business area leadership position, or a client manager. Whilst I have not decided yet what kind of pathway I would like to pursue, I know that the possibilities are endless with each of them at AECOM and hopefully they can lead to opportunities all around the world! 

What do you love the most about your job? Which kind of task do you enjoy the most?

I love that I get to work on many different major projects which are very much interdisciplinary, mainly between structural, mechanical, and electrical. This means communication is vital in my job, and I love the collaboration aspect of this which is often very rewarding when everything successfully comes together.

Something else that I love about AECOM is the office culture, especially between the early professionals which is largely because of all the networking opportunities presented by Connect Committee throughout the year.

What’s the biggest limitation of your job? Do you bear a lot of responsibility? Do you have to work on the weekends? Are the stress levels high?

The great thing about working at AECOM is that there are no limitations placed on you; the opportunities are endless and you can go anywhere! Whilst at this stage of my career, I am not signing of on anything and taking legal responsibility, within my team and project I am responsible for my area and ensuring that it goes through all the required process’. Also, the more exposure and experience you gain the more responsibility you are given.

Whilst I rarely find myself stressed regarding work, there are times where you do find yourself under the pump. In these times, don’t be afraid to ask for help/clarification, be aware that its ok to say no and ensure that you’re setting healthy boundaries in relation to your work hours.

Which three pieces of advice would you give to a current university student?

Ensure that you surround yourself with likeminded people, find a mentor that you can go to at all times and  gain as much exposure as possible in your areas of interest!