I am an educator with a long history of industry experience managing minerals processing technology upgrade projects and new product development. My work has included grinding and flotation upgrades for clients such as BHP Billiton, Anglo American Platinum and Freeport McMoran. I have also managed new product development projects in the mineral processing field for Xstrata Technology. My engineering career has included time in the resources and various manufacturing industries and has taken me to six continents over a period exceeding 37 years.

Over the last 25 years, whilst holding various industry based positions, I have trained or educated approximately 1100 engineering professionals in various aspects of project management, risk management, asset management and mechanical engineering. I have developed and delivered both undergraduate and post-graduate courses for Australian universities as well as nationally accredited vocational training for the TAFE sector. I have also provided, and continue to provide career support and guidance to a number of graduate and undergraduate engineers.

My greatest passion is developing, training and supporting engineers of all disciplines towards achieving their highest potential. I love seeing engineers flourish and helping them discover personal motivation to improve their performance and sphere of influence. I have served on several EA committees since the late 1990s including a number of stints with MESA (predecessor to the Asset Management Council) and more recently with the Innovation committee.

As your division committee representative, I will work tirelessly to significantly raise the profile of engineers as business leaders and decision makers. I will seek ways to improve the standing of engineers in the wider community. I will listen to your concerns and represent your interests diligently and faithfully. I will seek to positively influence the value for money that Queensland division members receive from their membership of EA.

Candidate Disclaimer: The view represented in this statement is that of the Candidate and not Engineers Australia.

I am a determined young engineer that is interested in ensuring all members of Engineers Australia (EA) get proper value out of their memberships.

Young members make up one of the largest proportions of EA members but are not represented at the Division and National committee level. Recent data has shown a disturbing trend of young engineers seeking alternate options in professional memberships. It is my vision to change this in gaining election to the Queensland Branch committee.

Over the past six years I have been involved with a number of roles within EA and other representative bodies that have prepared me for an election to the Queensland Division Committee.

Roles such as the Chair of Young Engineers Australia Queensland (YEAQ), a member of the Structural Queensland Branch committee, a member of the Learned Society Advisory Committee (LSAC), and a short stint as a member on the College of Leadership and Management Committee (CLM). I am also currently the vice-chair of FutureNet, the young professionals committee under the Consult Australia (CA) committee.

For my day job I am a Chartered Structural Engineer working at Jacobs in the company’s Brisbane office. I work within the Structural Buildings team and have been working on projects such as the recent tender for Cross River Rail and the Brisbane Metro business case.

I hope that you can consider me for a position on the Queensland Division Committee of EA. I will do my best to serve the needs of all members with a particular focus on giving emerging engineers a voice at the division level.

Candidate Disclaimer: The view represented in this statement is that of the Candidate and not Engineers Australia.

Blake has been an active member of EA as a student from the early 1990s. He has mentored many people since becoming chartered in 2003, and has over six years’ experience as office bearer. Blake regularly attends events and conferences and is committed to advancing engineering and the professional development of our members.

Blake works with other professions to progress the science and practice of engineering for the benefit of the community, and shape the future of Australia.

As a future Division Committee member and College Board member, Blake will continue to raise the profile and understanding of engineering issues and their impact on society, inform government policy, advance engineering education, and inspire school students to become the next generation of engineers.

Blake has the qualifications, experience and passion to serve our members well.

Qualifications

• Engineering Executive & Chartered Professional Engineer
• GAICD, MBA (UQ with distinction)
• AIPM: CPPM/Reg PM
• MSc (Systems Eng with distinction)
• BEng (Hon1A)

Volunteer experience

• 2015-2018, Non-Executive Board Director of Defence in Business
• 2010-2016, EA Committee Member of Centre for Leadership and Management (including 3 years as QLD Regional Chair)
• 2010-2011, This Smith Family Strategic Volunteer Marketing Project Manager
• Over 15 years mentoring with EA, DiB and UQ.

Professional experience

Blake brings over 30 years’ experience in performing roles on complex Defence aviation systems and infrastructure projects. He has performed the roles of project director, design manager and contract manager on a broad portfolio of projects on behalf of Defence, QinetiQ, Brisbane Airport Corporation, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Aurizon, Queensland Rail, and Turner & Townsend Thinc, with great distinction.

• Brisbane Airport Corporation 2018–ongoing, Senior Project Manager: Taxiway and Low Visibility Upgrades with runway visual range transmissometers and Stop Bars.
• Turner & Townsend Thinc 2014-2018, Senior Project Manager, Design Manager, Commercial Manager, Contract Administrator: Queensland Rail Station Upgrade Program, RAAF Base Williamtown Stage 2, Aurizon Wiggins Island Rail Project, and Suncorp Retail Banking.
• QinetiQ 2012-2014, Engineering Manager, Team Leader: Range Control Safety System upgrades, Super Hornet, Rail and OptaSense business development.
• Parsons Brinckerhoff 2012, Regional Team Manager Civil Engineering Transport, Project Director: Led a team of 20+ civil engineering design staff.
• Queensland Rail 2010-2012, Senior Project Manager, Technical Leader: Redbank stabling yard, New Generation Rollingstock Depot, Rail corridor access planning, Level crossing innovations, Strategic road-rail transport studies.
• Royal Australian Air Force 1983-2010, Assistant Director, Project Engineering General Manager: Air Defence Target System, F-111 engineering avionics business, Airborne Early Warning and Control Program Radar/IFF sub-system, Electronic Warfare Senior Design Engineer, Senior Maintenance Manager. Australia Day award of CSC (Conspicuous Service Cross) for outstanding achievement as the Project Manager of the $20m Crash Data Recorder Project.

Candidate Disclaimer: The view represented in this statement is that of the Candidate and not Engineers Australia.

I am a Mechanical Engineer with a background in Nuclear Submarines and after Naval service working in the different arms of the oil and gas industry currently living and working in Brisbane.

I believe that Engineers Australia should serve to benefit engineers, promote our place within the community and serve our members interests, providing value, education, networking and development.

I have served on the local Queensland CLM panel for approximately six years helping to plan events and to facilitate change within CLM, developing relationships with other groups and co-badging events.

I understand the need for protocols and bureaucracy to some extent but I am also pragmatic and realistic and I am aware of the frustration of others along with my own in driving change and benefit to engineers, after all we are an Engineering Institute. This would be my direction to ensure that we act as an Engineering Institute with the primary role of serving its members and having their interests at heart.

My perception of the role as Division Committee member is to ensure I fulfil the requirements of the role but also engage with the local committees and colleges to make sure the voice from the coal face is not forgotten. Often, I am asked to describe what can Engineers Australia do for me? The answer can be difficult but also includes the response of what can you do to make a difference within EA. We need as a society to engage more with our members, provide value and to provide a voice.

With a significant number of our membership disengaged I see it as essential that as a committee member I strive to increase that engagement, providing support, knowledge dissemination through events and above all providing a voice for the grass roots engineer.

I believe that engineering in all its different forms is a wonderful profession, we as engineers shape the world in which we live in, in the present and for the future and I would consider myself very fortunate to represent the interests of my peers in such a role as a Division Committee Member.

Candidate Disclaimer: The view represented in this statement is that of the Candidate and not Engineers Australia.

I seek to apply my skills, experience and values, as a regional engineer with international experience, to continue the great honour of serving as a Queensland Division Committee member.

In my career as a professional engineer I have lived and worked across Queensland – both in regional centres and in Brisbane – as well as internationally in the UK, Netherlands and USA in the power industry for consultancies and utilities. I hold a Bachelor of Engineering Electrical with Honours, a Masters of Business Administration, and I am a Chartered Member of EA as well as a RPEQ.

In 2016 I was elected to the Queensland Division Committee, and from 2012 to 2016 I served on the Townsville Regional Group, holding roles of Chair, Vice Chair and Treasurer. My focus in my capacities with EA has been to strategically evolve our focus with industry to ensure relevant member value through providing quality CPD events, engaging with the engineering community and leaders, partnering with academia, as well as being a voice of the profession across the state.

I also represent EA on the James Cook University Engineering Advisory Board.

Outside of EA I work for Energy Queensland as the Manager Intelligent Grid Platform, responsible for the strategies and innovation initiatives to enable the transformation of our electricity utility business in the face of technology and business model disruption, working with key stakeholders across the industry and country to ultimately be able to deliver safe, affordable, sustainable and reliable energy for our communities. It’s a really interesting and challenging time to be an engineer.

My Focus for the Role:

If elected to the Division Committee, my focus for the next two years would be continue to serve members by:

• Ensuring EA has an active role in the delivery of the regional infrastructure plans under the evolving Queensland State Infrastructure Plan, to ensure that there is a sustainable pipeline of projects that will enable the future economic prosperity of the state, and that the projects represent sound investments, apply good engineering principles, and are strategically aligned.
• Supporting the work currently underway at a state and national level on ensuring clear and aligned member value from EA – namely in terms of quality CPD and professional accreditation, support for regional and special interest groups, and having an active yet appropriate voice at all levels of the public arena.
• Supporting the next generation of Australian engineers through strengthening ties with universities, Education Queensland and schools, and aligned initiatives so that as a state and a nation we are well placed to capitalise on the opportunities of future innovations.

I believe my interpersonal and professional skills make me well placed to support the advancement of the profession, the organisation, and our role as engineers in ensuring the betterment of society, through providing leadership, integrity, and competence to represent all Queensland members.

I thank you in advance for your consideration and support of my nomination.

Candidate Disclaimer: The view represented in this statement is that of the Candidate and not Engineers Australia.

I would like to nominate for an Engineers Australia Queensland Division Committee position.

I’m a degree-qualified civil construction engineer with over 28 years’ Australian and international industry experience, having worked for top and mid-tier construction companies and consultants in both senior management and corporate roles, including 12+ years in project management and 10+ years in construction/operations/general management.

I have expertise in building, civil infrastructure, water, marine and mining industries with a successful track record of delivery in key major projects, tenders/EOI’s and consulting assignments for government and privately-owned clients throughout Australia (WA, NT, QLD & NSW) and overseas (UK & Middle East).

I am currently serving as a committee member on the QLD Civil Branch committee.

I am also a FIEAust, CPEng EngExec, RPEQ and QLD QBCC licenced open builder.

More recently I was a casual demonstrator/tutor at the University of Queensland for the unit “Professional Practice in the Business Environment (Unit ENGG4900)”, 4th year Engineering unit preparing students for the professional work environment.

I’m also the current business owner and operator of Balmoral Management Group and Totalspan Logan Central & Jimboomba, having been in business since 2012 after transitioning out of salaried roles.

Balmoral Management Group is a corporate and project services company providing construction services, solutions and advice to clients in building, civil construction, mining, oil & gas, water and related industries. It services both private industry and government customers Australia-wide. Totalspan designs, fabricates and installs steel buildings and warehouses for residential and commercial customers.

As a business owner and consultant, I help projects and organisations achieve their objectives and overcome issues by providing key resources, technical input and solutions in the areas of construction services, bid management, cost planning, project & construction management, project controls, estimating, construction methodologies, technical writing, risk management, value engineering, strategic and engineering advice, and business planning.

With my diversified construction and engineering background and industry network and contacts, I believe I can bring some of the diversity of experience and background that you are looking for in your committee and make a valuable contribution, particularly around construction-related issues and events, with engineering business owners given my business background, with engineering student activities given my tutoring experience, and with community engagement activities and promoting the engineering profession.

I would be very interested in contributing and providing leadership in the strategic direction of the Division as well as providing support as needed to local Division programs and representing EA in public forums.

With the flexibility that a business owner has, I will be able to fully commit myself to the Committee and in addition contribute to any other functions or events that the Committee may also have or be planning.

In my spare time I like to spend time with my family, hike, and play a hard game of squash and tennis.

Candidate Disclaimer: The view represented in this statement is that of the Candidate and not Engineers Australia.

All Engineers must be Chartered and Registered

The title Engineer has been used too loosely by the industries and we must act to protect this title that an Engineer means someone who possesses the required qualifications and experience and must be Chartered and registered under the National Engineering Register. The possession of Chartership also provides a good platform for Engineers to become RPEQs.

I have been a Chartered member of Engineers Australia (EA) since 1990. I have served over five years as a volunteer office bearer in the following capacities:

• Immediate Past Chair, Structural Branch Qld, 2018
• Committee Member, Civil Branch Qld, 2018
• Chair, Structural Branch Qld, 2016 to 2017
• Deputy Chair, Ipswich Local Group, 2012 to 2013
• Assessor for chartered engineers for EA
• Mentor for young engineers under EA’s Mentoring Program 2018

Under my leadership, the Structural Branch has achieved outstanding results in providing CPD events as well as acting as the voice of the profession. I planned my succession well and brought diversity into the Committee. We have now, probably for the first time, a very ambitious and capable female Chair for the Branch and a female membership of 19% in the Committee for 2018 setting a high standard for EA Qld.

I am proactive and have discussed with the EA’s President, CEO and the Qld President on a number of occasions regarding the need of better support to office bearers in fulfilling their roles. I have also discussed with them means to better influence the Government on its policies and decisions related to engineering matters.

I have over 35 years’ local and overseas experience in planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of a wide range of civil and structural engineering works and services. Currently I am acting in an important role as the Principal Supply Planner of Seqwater; responsible for the development of supply options and master planning to meet the long term water security for South East Queensland.

With my background and experience, I seek to join the Division Committee and assist in providing leadership and direction; and in meeting EA’s strategic priorities and volunteer obligations. In particular, I wish to contribute to EA in upholding its professional standards and acting as the voice of the profession.

Candidate Disclaimer: The view represented in this statement is that of the Candidate and not Engineers Australia.

I am nominating for this position and commit to working collaboratively with other Divisional Committee members to support and engage with existing and new members to provide high quality services for us all.

I am passionate about our profession and the development of the programs, practices, skills and experiences that we need – as individuals and as an organisation - to take us into the future.

I am a Chartered Civil Engineer with over twenty-five years of experience working within Australia and the UK and am currently a Senior Executive, and the most senior female engineer, within Brisbane City Council.

I have worked as an Engineer and Transport Planner predominately within local government and consultancy and I am an RPEQ, Chartered Engineer and Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers and Fellow of Engineers Australia. I have held positions within local committees of the Institution of Civil Engineers and have been a panellist for numerous Chartered Professional Review interviews in Brisbane.

I believe that it is essential to be a supportive and inspirational leader and to allow people to develop and grow their skills. I am an accomplished communicator, persuader and negotiator and I relish working within a team, using my positive attitude and presentation skills to achieve consensus through pragmatism. I am proactive, enthusiastic and confident and have extensive experience in forward planning and problem solving.

As a Champion and Advocate for Equity and Diversity I have, at various stages through my career,

• Influenced the introduction of flexible working practices.
• Moved to competency based assessment and recruitment process.
• Introduced changes to communication methods to allow greater access to information.

I believe that Equity and Diversity are essential within any organisation to allow growth and strength and I value the innovation that diversity of background and thought can bring to any problem and I will advocate, if elected, for diversity in all its forms within the industry. If necessity is the mother of invention, then diversity is the mother of innovation!

I am an advocate of STEM and I have worked with schools to introduce the idea of engineering to girls. I am currently involved with the QUT Girls in Engineering Making Statements (GEMS) program, meeting high school girls and sharing with them my career journey and current work.

I am committed to the highest ethical standards and promote, live and breathe integrity. I am also strongly committed to Zero Harm in the workplace and to the safety and wellbeing of all our members.

I look forward to the opportunity to represent Engineers Australia, to hear from members what our priorities should be and to help drive the agenda for our industry as a whole.

Candidate Disclaimer: The view represented in this statement is that of the Candidate and not Engineers Australia.