Have you undertaken or been involved in any university projects, specific work

experiences or research relevant to your chosen position discipline? Tell us what you
have been involved in that demonstrates your passion for this specific area/discipline.
A major aspect of studying civil engineering at Monash University, is that most of our
coursework is required to be completed in teams. Hence, I have had the privilege of working
with people from all walks of life, some of which have moved to Australia from another
country who often introduced me to various skillsets I would have otherwise not been aware
of.
Seeing students who have moved from overseas so passionate about studying engineering,
made me appreciate what a sought-after degree I was lucky enough to be studying. Like my
colleagues, I too had a desire to be a civil engineer from a young age, and opportunities
such as this internship offered by Jacobs, helps make that dream come to fruition.
Furthermore, the broad variety of engineering units offered by Monash has given me
exposure to all facets of civil engineering, from water engineering to traffic engineering to
geotechnical engineering; as I progress throughout my degree, I can identify my strengths
and weaknesses regarding each discipline and choose an industry which I feel I will be able
to be a part of. As most of my units are theory-based, an internship such as this will provide
me with important application knowledge, so I can make an informed decision of which field
will be the right fit for me.

At Jacobs, we see challenges as opportunities to make the world a better place. What
is a disruptor that you see facing our industry today, and what’s a solution that you
propose to turn this challenge into a greater opportunity to ensure Jacobs can deliver
on tomorrow?
A subject which has been repeatedly touched on throughout my time at Monash, has been
that of environmental sustainability. In civil engineering especially, environmental friendliness
seems to be a goal which we are trying to move towards but there is no clear indication of
progress, nor is there any “breakthrough technologies” which solve all our sustainable
dilemmas at one touch. Engineering firms tend to receive a lot of pressure from government
authorities regarding the issue, often halting work altogether as no sustainable alternative
can be achieved.
However, I tend to see the environmental sustainability challenge as something to work
towards. Many engineers get fixated on timelines and deliverables when it comes to such
topics, however I believe environmental sustainability is a result of many smaller sustainable
alternatives resulting in one large positive impact on our planet.
As such, the scope for research is endless – there are infinite alternatives to tasks to ensure
they are environmentally friendly, and this is something I believe Jacobs can directly impact.
If our work is halted due to pressure regarding environmental friendliness, then the need for
a sustainable approach becomes prioritised, enabling us to discover new alternatives with
urgency. If we ensure that environmental sustainability is of high priority when approaching
any assignment, there is some level of certainty that we will pursue a sustainable route and
perhaps discover new pathways to maximise sustainability for future projects.
What attracted and motivated you to submit an application to AECOM. How do you
see your skills contributing to our overall purpose? (250 words or less)
The purpose behind my application for an internship opportunity at AECOM was purely to
acquire some ground knowledge and real world applications of engineering theory which I
had learnt throughout my degree. Although Monash has taught me the fundamental theory
of being an engineer, there is a limit as to how much theory can truly encapsulate a career in
civil engineering, and thus I require some hands-on work to truly grasp the industry and
understand where my passions and strengths lie.
Throughout my tertiary education, I have acquired theoretical knowledge which I see myself
incorporating in my work at AECOM. Furthermore, as most of our coursework was required
to be completed in teams, I was required to develop collaborative skills to work with different
types of people, overcoming various obstacles (such as communication barriers) thus
challenging me to complete tasks while faced with such difficulties.
I am sure these skills will result in a significant contribution to the role at AECOM, as any
project work will be completed by multiple teams, requiring such collaborate skills as
mentioned earlier. Furthermore, the technical skills I have acquired throughout the various
units I have studied thus far, will help me deconstruct complex ideas and truly grasp the task
at hand and how to complete the task in an efficient manner.

What has been your favourite unit at University and why? How is this relevant to your
future career aspirations? (250 words or less)
The standout units for me throughout my degree thus far have been my design units,
namely; CIV2225 (Design of Steel and Timber) and CIV3284 (Design of Concrete and
Masonry Structures). Both units required theoretical knowledge of the mechanical properties
of their respective material, and required students to build a sense of understanding of how
these materials deflect based on the loading applied in the scenario.
I find these units to be one of the more critical units in the degree, as they deal directly with
Australian Standards, and often the scenarios used in assessments are real world
applications. Hence, I can see myself directly applying the knowledge I have acquired in
these units into my work as a structural engineer. These units were unique, as they did not
require large amounts of calculations/arithmetic (as many engineering units tend to) – rather
they incorporated engineering applications into real world scenarios while using fundamental
properties of building materials.
Thinking about your most relevant work / industry experience, what did you enjoy
about your role and were there any aspects that you found challenging? (250 words
or less)
Although I am yet to complete any formal engineering industry experience, an area I can
touch on is the experiences I have had while undertaking my tertiary education. A major
aspect of studying civil engineering at Monash University, is that most of our coursework is
required to be completed in teams. Hence, I have had the privilege of working with people
from all walks of life, some of which have moved to Australia from another country who often
introduced me to various skillsets I would have otherwise not been aware of.
With these skillsets however, come many different challenges. These challenges took the
shape of; cultural differences, language barriers, different work ethics and organisational
issues to name a few. After completing close to 4 years of collaborative work at Monash, I
have realised that the key to a healthy working relationship is to consider everyone’s
strengths and weaknesses when delegating work at the start of the project. Rather than
splitting work evenly, its important to understand if one member is better at a certain aspect
of a project than another. An example of such a scenario would be if a student doesn’t feel
confident with their written/oral communication skills – rather than forcing them to write the
final report, they may be more confident completing the bulk of the calculations.
This translates to my part time work at Bunnings group. As I am working in a team, I tend to
incorporate this strategy daily to ensure work is performed efficiently.

What is it about the DoT Vacation program or working for DoT that interests you? (250
word max)

The purpose behind my application for a vacation opportunity at DoT was purely to acquire
some ground knowledge and real world applications of engineering theory which I had learnt
throughout my degree. Although Monash has taught me the fundamental theory of being an
engineer, there is a limit as to how much theory can truly encapsulate a career in civil
engineering, and thus I require some hands-on work to truly grasp the industry and
understand where my passions and strengths lie.
One unit in particular I am currently completing, Roads Engineering, acted as a solid
introduction into what being a roads engineer entails. I feel that a vacation program in the
DoT would be the next logical step into deciding whether I would like to pursue a career in
transport engineering, as the hands-on knowledge will be invaluable in my engineering
career, regardless of where my path takes me.
What extra curricular activities are you currently and/or previously been a part of?
(250 word max)
Throughout my tertiary education, my main extra-curricular engagement has been in the
Monash Indian Cultural Society. Initially joining in my first year, I was an integral part of
committee for 3 years, eventually progressing to the role of Vice President. I had been
responsible for co-ordinating major events throughout the year, as well as liaising with
committee members/other societies to ensure deadlines were met and adequate funding
was secured from the University Student Body to ensure the club maintained its annual
events to a high standard.
My main takeaway from MICS was the teamwork that was associated with organising events
and other logistical elements of being a part of a university club. Understanding the views of
different people across the committee during meetings allowed me to consider different
takes on a subject, which is something I carried forward to other aspects of my career. I feel
that teamwork, particularly, teambuilding, is mandatory for all engineering projects –
something that has been echoed by team-based projects throughout my degree. Hence, I
feel that the skills acquired during my time at MICS will help me integrate well within the
team in DoT.

Please explain in 150 words or less why you have selected the Sector/Team preferences
indicated above (Rail Engineering/Structural Engineering/Infrastructure)

I would like to be part of the chosen teams as during my tertiary education thus far, I have found
my passions to lie within units relating to those streams of civil engineering. The idea of
contributing to a structure/monument which will be part of society is appealing to me, and I find
the design process to be very interesting.

Furthermore, I do have a keen interest in rail engineering, as I feel it overlaps with infrastructure
engineering in the design process. Additionally, rail engineering units I have undertaken thus far
have intrigued me, and I would like to understand more of what these industries entail via this
vacationers program.

In 200 words or less, from your knowledge of Arup, what particular aspects of our work
interests you?

A standout reason for my application for a Vacationers program in Arup, is to be part of an

organisation that has an international reach in its endeavours. Upon researching into Arup, I
understand that they have been responsible for projects across the world and this is
something which I hope to be a part of.
A key aspect that has been covered in my degree so far is the Australian Standards which
every engineer needs to reference when constructing any structure. Working in other
countries would give me the opportunity to understand the different design processes
employed by other countries as opposed to Australia.
Additionally, the Ventures outlined on the Arup website motivated me further to apply for a
vacationers program, particularly due to the vision that Arup seems to possess. All these
ventures are designed with the mindset of identifying a problem with the status-quo, and
presenting an innovative solution to combat said problem. I feel that all projects undertaken
by Arup will hold a similar approach, and I find that approach to be the hallmark of any good
engineering firm.
Please provide an overview of your experience relevant to this role (Downer)
Although I am yet to complete any formal engineering industry experience, an area I can
touch on is the experiences I have had while undertaking my tertiary education. A major
aspect of studying civil engineering at Monash University, is that most of our coursework is
required to be completed in teams. Hence, I have had the privilege of working with people
from all walks of life, some of which have moved to Australia from another country who often
introduced me to various skillsets I would have otherwise not been aware of.
Furthermore, through my coursework I have developed familiarity with engineering design,
and the various methods used by Australian Standards to complete these complex designs. I
have familiarity with engineering software such as AutoCAD and ArcGIS, which I am sure
will be useful for an internship opportunity here at Downer.

When considering your next career move, what are the three most important job features you’re
looking for?

The criteria I hold any potential employment opportunity against are the following;

1. Healthy working environment: I believe that in order for colleagues to perform at their most
effective, a co-operative working environment which supports one another is pivotal. As such, I
would aspire to bring a skillset which would support the rest of my team, as this is key for any
workforce to deliver results of to an exceptional standard.

2. Opportunity to grow: Furthermore, I proceed with employment opportunities where I can see
myself progressing as I build my career in the organisation. This would allow me to work towards a
goal, thus pushing myself to deliver a high standard of work in every task assigned to me.

3. Work/Life Balance: As I pride myself on the effort I put into my work, I equally pride myself in
upholding external commitments which allow me to develop myself holistically. Therefore, a
workplace which respects my out-of-work commitments would be an organisation which I would see
myself flourishing in the long term, as both aspects of my life would be respected.

What unique skills, qualities and experiences would you like us to know about you? (200
characters or less)

I believe my unique characteristics stem from the experience gained by my tenure at Downer EDI.
The skills acquired in this role include an appreciation for the industry and its processes.

How did you FIRST hear about the Laing O’Rourke GDP Programme? (200 characters or less)

I found out about the Laing O’Rourke GDP Programme while I was searching through Linkedin, and
thought of applying immediately as I saw it as a logical stepping stone to further my career.