Solving Structural Engineering Challenges
I recently drove to Menzies. That length of drive has you pondering stuff, and the further into the goldfields I got, the more I pondered our vast state and how, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, there’s a mine rich in gold. Why there? What about the vast spaces in…
Three months ago, I hired a new full-time engineer. Right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Well I thought it was the middle! Victorians, you wish! Why wait until now to tell you all? He was on probation of course. He may have been terrible, and I’d have just…
Every three months I attend a business owner’s conference (I’m not overly comfortable with the term ‘entrepreneur’) in Sydney. Hundreds of us get together to learn how to be better at anything business – better marketers, better leaders, better ‘selfs’. Here’s what usually happens: Wednesday Pack Leave for flight mid…
Unlike many countries, Australia is keeping its construction industry going, framing it as a national economic priority. PM Scotty Morrison (nickname upgraded from ScoMo due to a little win-back of respect during this “unprecedented” time) has signalled he wants construction to remain classified as an essential service and considers the…
Regulatory authorities are often thought of as no more than a bureaucratic burden. Extra time, higher cost and red tape are the keywords that spring to most minds. Does regulation bring benefits to the profession and the public? Should all practicing engineers be registered professional engineers? Perhaps the best way…
We often get asked if we do civil engineering, and I’ve learned to ask a few questions before saying “No” You see, we’re structural engineers, and we’re different to civil engineers, but there’s a language around these words that needs clarification. Often, the enquirer refers to ‘civil’ as concrete footings,…
We’ve all learned a lot from mentors who were instrumental in shaping us during our early career and continue to do so. That has been one of my core values – to also reciprocate the same to young engineers that get the opportunity to work with us. So, a few…
Well, I think they are the best that they can be from the university and the course they’ve come from, and now it’s up to us employers. I think the bigger question is “are our universities preparing graduates for reality?” Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Yenem…