Who are you and what do you do?
I am a Graduate Chemical and Materials Engineer working in the Technology Team in New Zealand to understand the technology development requirements, opportunities, and challenges within Babcock’s Maritime Fleet Sustainment Services (MFSS) contract with the Royal New Zealand Navy. My role focuses on supporting the business drive innovative and smarter solutions for our customer.
What do you like most about working at Babcock?
I enjoy working at Babcock for the work-life balance, opportunities to travel, collaborating with a set of diverse stakeholders across Australasia and Internationally, and establishing connections within academia, research organisations and industry to look for game-changing research and technology.
How is your role supporting our purpose ‘helping you create a safer, more secure world for us to live in’?
My role contributes to Babcock’s Purpose through the development of technologies that enhance the safety of those who deliver the products and services to our customers. As part of my role, I also consistently look for responsible ways to prevent or minimise any impact to the environment. I am involved in innovations that are looking to minimise the impact of working with hazardous substances, as well as ways to reduce the water usage and impact to our waterways during our coating renewal activities.
What did you enjoy most about the grad program?
I enjoyed various aspects of the Graduate Program, most notably:
- The opportunity to gain exposure to various departments within the company through the rotation program
- The mentorship initiative, learning modules, and comprehensive six-monthly capability reviews of both technical and leadership skills were valuable to identify areas of excellence and those that could benefit from improvement.
What motivated/inspired you to become an engineer?
I was inspired by the achievements of renowned engineers who have made significant contributions to various fields. Their stories and the positive changes they influenced fuelled my ambition to follow in their footsteps and contribute meaningfully to the field of engineering.
What top tip/inspirational advice would you give the younger you or someone starting out in engineering?
You should take time to identify your strengths and interests in the early years of graduating by exploring different opportunities within the company. Invest time in improving your project management skills, because it is a general skill that runs through every engineering field.
What are the top three reasons you would recommend Babcock as an employer to someone?
1. The opportunity to work in partnership with customers to develop fit for purpose solutions.
2. Flexible working hours and working environment.
3. Career progression within or outside your specialised discipline.