What's your job about?
I started working for Stantec in 2022 as a first-year graduate mechanical engineer, having completed a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering (Honours). Stantec is a global consultancy employing more than 25,000 people worldwide. We design with community in mind, collaborating with designers, engineers, scientists, and project managers and I was lucky to deep dive into so many unique projects in my first year. Straight away, I noticed a huge emphasis on community and culture, great work-life balance opportunities, and a supportive network for learning and development.
As graduate mechanical engineers, we work on HVAC for building services, finding solutions, and designing the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning within a building space. I really enjoy the diversity in projects where I work closely with clients, contractors, and other consultants. I get to apply my technical knowledge and problem-solving skills to create detailed designs for offices, hospitals, schools, data centres, museums, and research facilities. A typical day would often involve researching the project background, thermal calculations, cost estimates, detailed designs, and schematics.
I had the opportunity to work on projects such as the MONA Museum in Tasmania. The building itself is underground, completely embedded in the side of a cliff, and so figuring out a way to extract natural outside air into the building was something new and excitingly different.
What's your background?
As a kid, I had a very curious mind growing up, I tended to get distracted, wander off and find myself lost somewhere. I had the moments that landed me in trouble, I’d take things apart purely out of curiosity. Soon after entering high school, my interest turned to creativity and science-oriented subjects. I loved art, putting colours on a page and creating 3D sculptures, I also loved maths and chemistry—discovering how things worked and why. Choosing a career path was difficult because there were so many options but when I discovered engineering, I knew it was perfect for me—it incorporates creativity, analytics, and maths.
Not knowing what type of engineering I wanted to pursue, I enrolled at La Trobe University to do a general bachelor’s degree. Two years later, we moved to online learning while grappling with the global pandemic. This was especially challenging for me because I was used to a collaborative learning environment. However, I was fortunate enough to complete my university placement at a company specialising in building services, which is where I found my passion for mechanical engineering.
Soon after graduating, I applied to engineer companies on every job site, including LinkedIn. One of Stantec’s recruiters invited me for an interview and that was where my Stantec journey began. I’ve been with Stantec for a year now, it’s been the most fulfilling job, I love seeing projects come to life from design stages to construction.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
Yes, there are multiple pathways to becoming a mechanical engineer, some are quicker than others. Many of the fundamental skills of my job, such as problem-solving, communication, and creative thinking can be achieved through other pathways, however, having a bachelor’s degree in engineering or science will highlight your ability to think critically, design solutions to technical problems and be able to use advanced software like Revit or AutoCAD. You don’t need a Bachelor of Engineering to be part of the team! If designing buildings is your passion, you can become a drafter using Revit or AutoCAD to support the team in complex 3D modelling.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
Aside from working with extraordinary people, I think being able to see your own designs come to life is very enjoyable. As technology becomes more advanced, we start to see the world in a more futuristic light; phones become smartphones, cars become smart cars and buildings become smart buildings. Being a part of this ever-changing environment is exciting and rewarding. Sharing ideas and knowledge between clients, architects, builders, and other consultants to come together and create a smart building that is not only liveable but sustainable and aesthetic is how we continuously transition into a better future.
What are the limitations of your job?
As a young engineer that stumbled across a mechanical engineering role not knowing what it was about, every day has been a learning curve for me. To realise that there’s never an unintelligent question is the first step when asking for help. There’s always a senior engineer to guide you and working in teams is what it’s all about. Stantec is supportive, especially for mental health and well-being, so if you find yourself in a sticky situation, there’s always someone you can turn to for guidance and support. Having a good work-life balance is important, and because of Stantec’s flexibility policies, we’re able to get that balance just right.
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