Veronica Maka: The Engineer that Could
Veronica Maka: The Engineer that Could
When I was asked if I wanted to relocate I knew it was an opportunity not to be missed. This was something I’d been thinking about for a while, a chance to grow my technical skills working on bigger projects. I had to weigh up the pros (krispy kremes, warm winters, awesome beaches) with the cons (accent, “thongs”, wallabies) and decided that the opportunity was now.
Working in the Gold Coast isn’t too different from work life in NZ. There are still Friday drinks, and the professional bodies that keep engineers on their toes. For example, you can become a CPEng (Chartered Professional Engineer) as part of the Australia Institute of Engineers (AIE) however there is a specific registration for chartered engineers that would like to be recognized in Queensland, that is the RPEQ (Registered Professional Engineers of Queensland). There is also another qualification if you are looking at working in New South Wales and so on…so the rivalry between states don’t just end on the league field.
During my time here the projects are helping me gain experience in the electrical field, and my network of contacts within engineering continues to expand. With more than five years in the field under my belt now I am finding that there is a greater utilization of my management skill set. This is the direction I am looking to head in, and I find most professional engineers often find themselves directed to.
By having an appreciation of the technical information, I am able to move into project management more easily utilizing my practical experience for rationalizing decisions.
One of the major things that I enjoy about my work here is the number of ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems) projects going on in Australia and how developed the area of expertise is in the country. There is the latest ITS Australia Summit which is being hosted by Gold Coast in September, another opportunity for me to mingle with the great ITS minds of Oz. I am hoping to see a few colleagues from NZ attend this summit and enjoy the social scene that Goldie has to offer outside of the conference.
I do hope that in the future there will be a Queensland chapter for SPPEEx and that we can connect and grow the number of Maori and Pacific Island professionals here.
If there is one thing I am not looking forward too, it’s the RWC face-off between the All Blacks and the Wallabies…but for now, I’ll enjoy the view from “The Rocket” in Robina, and if ever you find yourself over in the Gold Coast, be sure to swing by and say hi.
Article Contributor: Veronica Maka
