What was your inspiration to become an Engineer?
I was inspired to become an engineer by a series of shapes in an aptitude test. Growing up, although I knew engineers; one of which was my grandfather, I did not see myself becoming one. When I was in year 12, I was planning to become an osteopath until it came to me describing to my careers' counsellor an exercise I had completed in an aptitude test. This exercise was all about shapes, logic and reasoning and I was simply excited by it and the process behind finding the answer. My careers' counsellor then said to me, "Nicole, you should be an engineer" - and that was it!
What exciting projects are coming up for you?
Currently at AECOM, I am working on a new 35-storey commercial building being constructed in Melbourne. I have worked on the project in the design phase for almost a year and it's exciting to see the designs come to life. Over the next few months, I will continue to work on this project through the construction phase. In my role as Head of Education at WeAspire, we are building our community by connecting with companies and universities and working to expand our offering to include a series of short courses on specific leadership skills and further evolve the business.
Can you tell us a bit more about the direction of the Young Engineers Australia National Committee?
In 2022, for the first time since the Young Engineers Australia National Committee (YEANC) was founded, the composition of the national committee become open to any young engineer. This new operating structure allows for a dedicated group of young engineers to focus on national issues and become more involved in bigger conversations. This new structure supports more opportunities for young engineers across Australia. Graduate members are able to get involved in not only the continuing professional development, Tech Talks, and collaboration series, but also Town Hall discussions, surveys, networking events, round tables and much more. Keep an eye out on the YEA website and LinkedIn Groups for upcoming opportunities.
What advice would you give to engineering graduates who may be in a similar position to yourself?
To engineering graduates today, the best piece of advice I can give is to be kind to yourself. You are not going to know everything straight away and you will make mistakes. If you are unsure about something, ask. If you make a mistake, own it and learn from it. If you do something well, celebrate it. If you can support someone else, do it. We tend to focus on what we cannot do instead of what we can. Remain committed to developing, think positively and be resilient in the face of challenges.