Graduate perspectives on building a career in engineering

Alisha’s passion for engineering started with her love for architectural design and her natural ability in physics and math. It was during Year 12 when she attended a Women in Engineering event that her interest really grew. Hearing female civil engineers talk about their bridge project inspired her to pursue architectural engineering, where she could combine her passion for design with problem-solving. An internship on a wastewater project in Auckland, aimed at reducing overflow by 80%, helped to further drive her passion for water engineering. Seeing the positive effect on both the environment and the community sparked her enthusiasm for a future that involved creating sustainable infrastructure.

Thyaga became fascinated by how water infrastructure could improve communities and protect the environment. Exposure to water infrastructure projects during his internships lead him to pursue water engineering and after witnessing the positive effects these projects had on both the environment and the community – he was eager to do more.

Alisha is in her first year and Thyaga is in his second year as graduate water engineers in Tauranga, and they're fully immersed in the learning process. They’re focused on understanding the sector and building strong relationships with their team, while gaining hands-on experience with a variety of projects, from network design to strategic planning. 

Alisha and Thyaga appreciate the collaborative side of consulting. Alisha enjoys working with a variety of stakeholders, from contractors to clients, and finds it fulfilling to help clients clarify their needs and work together to bring their ideas to life. Thyaga also values the opportunity to connect with clients, as it helps him better understand their challenges and goals. They’ve learned a lot from watching more experienced consultants navigate these conversations and find solutions that benefit everyone involved.

Understanding client needs and expectations is key to any successful engineering project. When the team’s and client’s objectives align, it becomes easier to deliver solutions that benefit everyone.

They both believe that great client experience is at the heart of good engineering. Now that they’re working as consultants, they see how important it is that the final result meets the client’s needs. When clients have a positive experience, it not only builds stronger relationships but also leads to better outcomes for the project.

Alisha and Thyaga both have valuable experience working as contractors and clients as part of our Project New Grad programme and previous internships, which has helped shape how they approach consulting at GHD. They've learned that flexibility is key, especially when unexpected challenges pop up. “When new issues arise, it's important for consultants to work closely with contractors to find the best solutions,” shares Alisha.

“Designs need to be practical and feasible, taking into account not just the construction phase, but also future decommissioning,” shares Thyaga. “Safety through design is essential, and being adaptable with contractors helps ensure that everything runs as smoothly as possible.”

As they move forward in their careers, they’re both eager to keep learning while taking on new challenges  playing their part to create positive change. Alisha is excited about the chance to apply what she’s learned in her studies to real-world projects and work closely with her team and clients. She’s especially looking forward to contributing to sustainable water solutions and making a positive difference.

Thyaga shares the same enthusiasm, looking forward to using his experience to find practical solutions for clients and have a meaningful and positive impact on the environment. 

Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and embrace the opportunity to learn from mistakes.  Facing challenges and bouncing back from them is a great way to grow while staying open to new opportunities in engineering, as there’s so many paths to explore!

Engineering is all about continuous learning and adapting. While they’re still early in their careers, they’re focused on learning as much as they can, whilst building a strong foundation of knowledge and skills that will help them deliver work that will continue to positively impact communities and the environment for generations to come.