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Back to SearchA New Colombo Plan internship at GHD has sparked Alli Devlin’s interest in environmental and international development work.
A civil and environmental engineering student at the University of Technology, Sydney, Alli spent two months with GHD in the Philippines as part of the Australian Government program, which provides university students with opportunities to live, study and work in the Indo-Pacific region.
“As an engineer working in a rapidly growing, developing nation, you can see a pressing need for infrastructure that is sometimes taken for granted in Australia,” Alli says.
During her internship, Alli has been involved in stakeholder engagement, environmental assessments and health risk analysis for a portable toilet project, which seeks to provide sanitation for people in low-income communities.
She has also been involved in stakeholder engagement for a transport modernisation project in Davao City.
Additionally, Alli has carried out water quality testing in Baguio City, located in the mountains of Luzon and known as the ‘summer capital’ of the Philippines.
“The internship at GHD has opened my eyes to consulting work, including environmental assessment and stakeholder engagement. This was very different to my previous experience at large construction contractors. I am now directing my career towards international development and sustainable infrastructure,” Alli says.
Before joining GHD, Alli studied at the Hanoi University of Science and Technology in Vietnam. She also completed internships in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Hong Kong.
Darren Shrives, GHD’s Philippines Manager, says, “We were delighted to host Alli. The Philippines is a great place to get exposure to the wide range of technical services GHD provides as well as to experience working in a different culture.”
Ben White, GHD’s Market Development Leader, Asia Pacific, says, “Alli is the third New Colombo intern we have hosted to date. The Government’s focus on equipping young people with practical experience in the Indo-Pacific is aligned with the attributes we seek in our employees as we continue to expand our presence in the region.”