What's your job about?
I am employed by Woodside, an international oil and gas company, and I work as Logistician supporting all Woodside projects with a Subsea and Pipelines component, such as the Scarborough Project for example. I am responsible for supporting Woodside’s Subsea and Pipeline projects in a materials capacity. All of our offshore facilities are connected and operated through subsea equipment which lives on the seabed. This equipment is expensive, unique, takes years to manufacture, comes from all over the world, and is incredibly difficult to repair and replace noting that it’s 100 meters under the water. Managing these materials at the front-end of a project, when it’s all being installed, is critical in ensuring we can confidently track materials, know what’s where, where those materials came from, who made it, etc. to enable the long-term success of a project. I work closely with all our Subsea vendors who build, store and maintain our materials, to ensure we have visibility of what is coming in and out of inventory. I also ensure finance is aware of significant cost impacts, such as a $5 million piece of kit coming onto the books and how that cost is allocated. My day-to-day job involves managing the lifecycle of materials within the supply chain, considering the bigger picture, long-term impacts and ensuring we’re compliant within every stage of a project.
What’s your background?
I grew up in the Southern Highlands, a rural region within NSW. When studying at uni, I made the most of every opportunity available to me and was fortunate to complete two international exchanges, one in Quebec, Canada and another in Aarhus, Denmark. I also took on various work opportunities at uni such as being a Student Ambassador and working in the Future Students call centre where I was able to develop my soft skills, such as people management and communication, which I now use every day at Woodside. Having been at Woodside for two-and-a-bit years, I am currently in my third rotation (and therefore third job) of the grad program. As I was incredibly happy in my second rotation, I wasn’t necessarily seeking out a role-change, however I was sought out for my new role due to the connections I had made within Logistics and the various aptitudes I had demonstrated. Graduating from my degree, moving to the other side of the country, and starting my career all during the pandemic taught me that life can throw a spanner in the works when you’re least expecting it. Having transferrable skills, an open-minded attitude, and the boldness to take a leap of faith brought me to Woodside and I couldn’t be happier.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
Yes, anything’s possible. My degree isn’t specifically relevant to my day-to-day work, but it got me through the door as it demonstrated my commitment and diligence. From there, I’ve made the most of every opportunity to entrench myself within the company, learn, and become a valuable and trusted team member. That is what has afforded me the most opportunities within Woodside. From my experience, once you’ve got your foot in the door, your background doesn’t weigh nearly as heavily as your attitude and work ethic.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
Mostly, I love the responsibility I am given to manage multi-million-dollar materials autonomously. To be so early in my career, yet given the opportunity to contribute to such critical, base-business work is a massive privilege. I enjoy collaborating with stakeholders and being accountable for establishing Woodside expectations and ways-of-working amongst vendors. Some days are arduous, but I find it incredibly rewarding when I am able to contribute a substantial financial saving or find and fix a problem which could have disrupted the progression of a project. My work is relevant and necessary which I find really motivational.
What are the limitations of your job?
As I mentioned above, my role comes with a lot of responsibility and while this is one of my favourite parts of the job, it can sometimes lead to big days when I am hustling to meet a deadline. However, the biggest limitation I experience within my role is that I am learning on the job and sometimes I don’t know what I don’t know, given I am so early on in my career. Leaning into my support systems, asking questions and being patient with myself all helps with managing the imposter syndrome and continuing to grow.
3 pieces of advice for your university-self?