How did you get into engineering, and what brought you to Northrop?

I didn’t want to be an engineer when I was at school. I wanted to make video games, but quickly realised programming wasn’t for me. My uncle is a mechanical engineer and described engineering as “glorified problem solving”. I liked maths and solving problems, so that appealed to me. I went on to study engineering at the University of Wollongong. I also found Northrop through my uncle, who had worked here, who told me to apply for summer work. During my second summer break at university, I had the opportunity to spend some time with the Canberra team. That led to more work while I was at university and eventually a permanent role.

How has your career developed since joining Northrop?

My first few years were about building my technical skills and learning as much as I could. After that, there was probably a period where my career stagnated a little. I was happy coming to work, doing my job and going home. James Gilligan, Principal and Civil Section Manager, gave me the push I needed to think more seriously about where I wanted my career to go and encouraged me to become Chartered. That was probably the point where I started taking more ownership of my career. Since then, I’ve continued to take on more responsibility and leadership opportunities and today I’m an Associate and Senior Civil Engineer.

What do you enjoy most about working in civil engineering?

I like that civil engineering is so broad. There are lots of different areas you can work in and it’s rare to have two days that are the same. For me, the key thing is wanting to understand how things work and enjoying solving problems. That’s what drew me to engineering in the first place and it’s still what I enjoy about it today.

What advice would you give someone looking to build their career at Northrop?

I’ve got three pieces of advice! First, ask for forgiveness rather than permission. Second, don’t wait for someone to feed you what you need. Finally, tell others what you need to succeed, then go forth and conquer, knowing you have the full support of everyone around you.

At Northrop’s recent 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner, you received the Murray Northrop Award, Northrop’s highest individual honour. What did that recognition mean to you?

I was shocked to receive such a prestigious award. It was very surprising and not something I expected at all. Northrop has helped me get to where I am today, not only in my career but also in who I am as an individual. To be recognised in that way meant a lot.