What's your job about?
Austal is Australia’s global shipbuilder and defence prime contractor, designing, constructing, and sustaining some of the world’s most advanced commercial and defence vessels. For more than 30 years, Austal has contracted more than 300 vessels for over 100 commercial and defence operators in 54 countries, worldwide.
As a Graduate Engineer, I am currently working in the Supply Chain department completing my first of six rotations around different departments within the business. I conduct weekly and monthly reports that have been set up to update the department and business of the performance of Supply Chain activities. I am also involved in a lot of Continuous Improvement activities, looking into how best we can make the existing systems and processes more efficient and accurate.
My main priority at the moment is my involvement in an External Audit that Supply Chain is currently undergoing. I am taking responsibility and accountability when presenting the necessary documentation for the Audit and answer any queries that the auditors may have.
What's your background?
I was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka and when I was 5 years old, my family and I migrated to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. I lived in Dubai for 13 years. I attended 3 schools in my time in Dubai, starting in Year 1 and all the way to Year 13 to complete my Cambridge IGCSE Advanced Level Examinations (equivalent to WACE in Western Australia). When I had to pick my subjects for these examinations, I knew I wanted to study Engineering at university. So, my mains subjects for the Advanced Level Examinations were Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.
After receiving my results, I had my heart set on Monash University in Melbourne. I was fortunate to receive an offer from them and I grabbed onto the opportunity with both hands. I flew into Australia in 2018 for the very first time and began my university life. Throughout this period, I took part in volunteering activities and completed an Internship in a Water/Utilities company in Melbourne.
When the opportunity rose to apply for the Graduate Program at Austal, I was determined to try my best to be part of the Austal Team. My curiosity and interest in shipbuilding and the reputation of Austal as a leader in shipbuilding and the structure of the Graduate really drew me in. I was fortunate to be accepted into the Austal Graduate Program and was offered a Graduate Engineer role. I commenced my role in January 2022 and am really enjoying the experience, challenges, and responsibilities that are coming my way.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
Yes. The work I am currently undertaking is not highly technical or specialised. The beauty of the Graduate Program at Austal is that you get the opportunity to experience different aspects of the business. I studied Mechanical Engineering, but I am based in Supply Chain for my first rotation! A lot of learning is on the job, which allows us to pick up new skills and learn a bit more about how different departments within the business operate.
Some important characteristics to have would be analytical thinking, an open mind and the courage to suggest and implement changes. Some great skills to have would be Excel as we spend a lot of time on spreadsheets and analysing data.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
What I love most about my job is the responsibility and trust that has been given to me. I enjoy the continuous improvements and analysis tasks that I undertake on a daily basis. We are always striving for excellence, and I know I am doing the right thing as we are always thinking about the best, we can do to satisfy our customers.
What are the limitations of your job?
Currently, I do bear a lot of responsibility. I have to ensure the work I produce, report on, and publish is accurate and up to date. But as an individual, I embrace the responsibilities I have been given. The most important thing here is your organisation skills. It helps me keep on track of my tasks and ensure I meet the deadlines that have been set.
3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...