What's your job about?
My employer, Queensland Rail (QR), is responsible for maintaining the below rail assets of the majority of the Railway Network in Queensland and delivering safe outcomes (including safe systems) for the customer. As well as this, Queensland Rail is a network operator for industry across the state and most importantly the passenger services in South East Queensland.
I am a graduate of QR which has given me many opportunities to learn and grow. This includes networking events outside of Engineering, such as customer relations, soft skills programs with Engineers Australia, railway history lessons through historical site visits, and much more. Furthermore, I have spent time in various engineering disciplines and teams within QR, including electrical (Signalling), High-Voltage, Civil, and Project Delivery. I have gained such an extensive knowledge of QR technology, infrastructure, process, and personnel that can benefit me in many ways in my QR career!
My current role is within the Condition Monitoring Systems (CMS) team. CMS is responsible for assisting in the design, development, and maintenance of systems that monitor conditions that can affect the operation of the rail network. They work with a wide variety of operational technology to collect, store and process data, integrating it with QR’s engineering and network control systems. On a daily basis, I use my skills in various engineering disciplines, particularly software and computing to perform the following tasks:
The most exciting part of my time in QR as a graduate has been the huge exposure to the company I have been given through working with the CMS team. CMS works closely with network operations and is constantly being approached by varying engineering disciplines throughout the business to provide solutions to technological problems, which must satisfy limited timelines and tight budgets. Being a part of a team that is consistently required to come up with new, diverse and innovative solutions means that I am constantly getting hands-on experience with new tools and technology. This has been hugely satisfying and has allowed me to massively broaden my skill set and my internal network.
What's your background?
I grew up in England, not far from London, but came to Australia as a 10-year-old in 2008. England introduced me to football (played with feet), rain, and Jaffa Cakes (you might have to look them up).
Since arriving in Australia I have completed year 7 in Primary School, finished High School, and earned a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Queensland (UQ), majoring in Electrical.
I earned some graduate experience working in one of the laboratories in UQ that supplied electrical and mechanical systems for coursework. This work was enjoyable and aligned well with my undergraduate study, but I wanted to see what career possibilities were waiting outside of University.
After University, I was able to work casually as a Network Engineer for 6 months at a small company. This kept me busy and gave me many new skills and knowledge in the fields of computer and network engineering. It also introduced me to working in Industry, and I was able to learn many soft skills working with colleagues, external contractors, and stakeholders. This job was enjoyable and rewarding, but I was eager for a role that would offer better opportunities for learning and growth, while also more in the domain of my Electrical Engineering degree.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
Yes! Although, I do believe that an Engineering degree will best-set someone up for success in my role. Of the engineering degrees, an electrical, computer, or software engineering degree will impart the fundamental knowledge required in this role. This includes knowledge of basic electrical systems, programming and microcontroller systems, software development, and computer science. A basic understanding of these systems is the perfect basis to hit the ground running in the OSE team.
An Engineering degree is also generally designed to test students and push them to develop skills for learning and problem solving, known as the engineering method. In this role, I have been consistently learning new skills and tackling new problems, which requires skills such as independence, adaptability, and perseverance. These are the soft skills that I believe most reflect an Engineering graduate.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
I would say the coolest thing about my job is my work-life balance. I work an honest 8-hour day and then I get to go home and enjoy the rest of the day to do the things that are important to me: play soccer/exercise and socialise with friends. If I am required to work extra hours on a particular day, I can bank that extra time to use at a later date! I also get opportunities to do interesting work on the weekends, and I am well compensated for sacrificing time on the weekend that I value. I am 100% certain that a good work-life balance is important for continuing to enjoy work and maintain physical and mental health!
What are the limitations of your job?
I would say the biggest limitation of being a graduate is the limited responsibility and pressure to deliver. This can work for someone who has self-motivation and drive, as generally, my work has been an opportunity for me to try things without pressure. My managers and colleagues have been very encouraging and supportive, but I have driven a lot of my growth at QR with a willingness to experience everything I can. My drive has come from the desire to continue learning and growing and delivering systems that benefit QR. The improvement of reliability and efficiency of the railway is a direct improvement to the lives of many here in Queensland who depend on it for transportation, which I find very rewarding to be a part of.
3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...
My biggest piece of advice for myself would be to be open-minded, try everything, and give everything a serious go. I recall the struggle of figuring out what I enjoyed and where I could see myself going after University. There are many things I wish I had tried or persisted through in my studies, socially, and career. I have come to enjoy and appreciate the varied experience that being a Graduate has presented, and I only wish that I could have shown my younger self the range of knowledge, open-mindedness, and drive I have obtained now!
Also, while grades are not everything from University, I now know that University is not easy and requires tremendous effort, but the gain in skillset and mindset is invaluable.
Otherwise, young me, have as much fun as you can and enjoy the freedom, working life is good in many ways, but make the most of the time you have, because working life certainly restricts time!