What's your job about?
Stantec is a multidisciplinary consulting firm. I work in the Transportation team offering engineering services such as planning and analytics. I work across a variety of projects including transport impact statements and assessments for new developments, parking management plans, and vehicle movement swept paths. The swept paths involve assessing access and exit points and the manoeuvrability on-site for each design using AutoCAD. A part of my job includes estimating how many vehicle trips a new development will generate, and how we can distribute these trips for better traffic management and flow. If a development generates over 100 trips in a peak hour, it will require traffic modelling of the surrounding intersections. We use software to model the opening year and future scenarios—planning is important in determining if the intersection will require upgrades or whether further engineering design is needed.
What's your background?
I was born and raised in Scotland before emigrating to Perth in 2015. At school, I was more competent with numbers and fared better in maths and science. After starting my undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering, my university focused on the importance of communication, and I was able to build on these skills. Prior to university, I had a short stint as a building site labourer and with my university focus being on civil engineering, I aimed to work in the structural sector. However, in the following two years of my studies, I landed an undergraduate engineering position with SMEC where I was able to work across multiple disciplines. Over time I realised I was more interested and competent in transportation engineering and analytics. I moved to Stantec to focus more on transportation and gain experience, and it’s exceeded my expectations on the type of work you can get involved in as a transportation engineer.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
Yes, the field of transportation has a variety of roles for different backgrounds. For example, transport modellers can be engineers, scientists, or mathematicians. Most of the work we do can be taught on the job and all skills are transferable. Try not to restrict yourself too early on and find a career that you enjoy. Don’t focus on finding one that you’re good at as this will come with time and experience, but the enjoyment factor may not.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
The exposure to projects and insights into developments that may be built in the future. Working with teams of industry experts and various clients helps expand networks and win new projects. It’s also a job where you can relate real-life experiences on the road, rail, or paths to advise on projects that make a difference in our communities.
What are the limitations of your job?
In the consulting industry, there are generally lots of projects all taking place at once with the same level of work required, the same deadline and the same cost. Therefore, time is a big limitation in this field of work. Prioritising time, managing resources, and performing under pressure are key to success in the industry.
3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...