Leighton Contractors: Graduate mechanical engineer

The variety of projects and the chance to work off site across Australia and Asia was what attracted, Thomas Hill, to apply for a job with construction and mining giant, Leighton Contractors.

It was during my fifth year at Adelaide University, I was studying a bachelor of mechanical engineering and a bachelor of finance,” the graduate mechanical engineer said.

“I was looking for a project engineering role which was a lot more site based and the engineering hands on.

“I saw Leighton Contractors online and [from what I read about them] thought I’d get the broader engineering experience I was looking for.

Engineering was a “natural career path” for the 25-year-old who has always liked building things and excelled at physics and maths at school.

After completing Leighton Contractor’s online application Mr Hill was shortlisted to attend an interview at the group’s Adelaide head office with the state human resources manager and the national training manager.

“The interview was quite broad,” he said.

“I was asked whether I would like fly-in-fly-out work, would be up for working on project sites and if I would be interested in doing a design engineering role for a time.

“There were also a lot of questions about uni including subjects and electives. I told them I played football for Adelaide University, which I think they liked as they were definitely looking for someone who was well rounded.”

After a second round interview, where Mr Hill found out more about the potential roles and undertook some practical assessment tasks, he was offered a position.

“I was pigeon holed to a fly-in-fly-out job in Western Australia; it wasn’t your standard graduate role,” he explained.

“It started off as undergraduate work experience from April to August [2007] and as soon as I graduated ““ mid term ““ it progressed into a graduate role.”

Mr Hill has now been with Leighton Contractors for 18 months and has worked in South Australia, Queensland, Western Australia and is currently based in Sydney.

“The first job was quite tough a real baptism by fire,” he said.

“I was working on the Newman power station expansion in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, a fly-in-fly-out, 500 kilometres from Port Headland [a coastal town 1800 kilometres north of Perth].

It was very hot ““ 45 degrees ““ and dusty and I lived in a hotel for eight months.

“That’s why [Leighton Contractors] look for someone who is robust and has strength of characters to do these jobs as you have to be flexible and fit in particularly at engineering management level.” Mr Hill explained.

During his next project, working on the expansion of Mount Stuart power station, in Townsville, Mr Hill made one four day trip home to Adelaide in the five moths he worked there.

Luckily he admits to enjoying working on site rather than, “sitting in the office every day.”

“My partner also works in admin so she has the flexibility to move with me each time, which has been great.”

Mr Hill is half way through the three year graduate program and he says the majority of training is provided on the job.

“It’s very project orientated so there is no classroom. You’re assigned a project, work on it until it’s complete and then you’ll be moved onto the next one,” he explained.

“My role involves assistance to constructions crews, procurement of smaller project items, overseeing installations and commissioning plant work.”

Mr Hill says right now his career is firmly on track.

“I want to stay in the project engineering environment for as many years as I can sustain it and then go down the path of wining projects as business development manager.

“However, the projects you work on can vary so much and you exposure to so many other careers that my path could change.”