ENGINEERING INNOVATION Kate Manusu

Kate MANUSU (2013)

As the Mechanical Site Engineer for Central Station, Kate is working on Australia’s biggest public transport project. Here, she highlights the innovative and invaluable contributions women make to careers in STEM as well as the need to subvert gender stereotypes in the industry.

What have you been up to since graduating in 2013?

Since graduating I have worked in a whole range of fields, from being in a maintenance yard working on trains (diesel and electric), designing the tunnel ventilation systems at Central for the Sydney Metro Project - Combined Services, to being a site engineer at Central Station and managing multimillion dollar design packages through delivery and installation.

In my personal life I have become an avid rock climber, I love to host dinner parties with my old high school friends, play video games with my boyfriend (who I met through engineering/work) and I even became a home owner in 2019!

Having studied both mechanical and biomedical engineering, how did you decide to pursue the former?

I found that there are not that many careers in biomedical engineering in Australia, whereas there

is currently a massive boom in infrastructure and mechanical engineers will always be required in some capacity in Australia. I did initially investigate the possibility of following the medical side and applied at multiple biomedical companies, but there are far more biomedical engineering graduates than jobs available. I also explored going down the academic path by doing a PhD, but this didn’t assure a job at the end of four more years of study, and in the interim, I would have had to tutor and work-full time without earning a sufficient income or having much job stability.

I personally decided that the things important to me after five years of university were to be able to live in Sydney, have job security, and start earning a good income.

What does your current role at UGL involve?

I am the Mechanical Site Engineer for Central Station under the Line-wide works contract. This manages systems which are used in the Metro Tunnels for stage 2 (Chatswood to Sydenham via Central). The mechanical systems I am particularly involved with include but are not limited to fire services, drainage, and tunnel ventilation. My current role involves a large range of activities such as: • site walks scoping out installation zones, checking and validating works • managing a compressed air subcontractor, a system which I initially helped to develop • managing the tunnel ventilation damper sub-contractor • reviewing designs, checking they comply, or in some cases, designing in scope gaps • working in multi-disciplinary teams with electrical, controls, software engineers • managing commercial variations,

claims, and general payment • reviewing, updating and drawings and models.

With more women occupying careers in STEM, what qualities do you think they bring to the industry?

Undoubtably introducing more women and general diversity into teams allows for the unleashing of a plethora of innovative ideas. STEM fields have for a long time been dragging behind many other fields in attracting a higher level of diversity. I am usually the only woman in a meeting, in the office, out at lunch and it is difficult to ignore. Issues like this can lead to feelings of isolation or provoke a sense of imposter syndrome. Subverting this stereotype is the first step to overhauling these industries to be welcoming spaces for all.

I’ve been lucky that a few of the teams I have been in have almost had a 50/50 female/male ratio and this is where you can really tell the difference. These teams display the highest level of productivity I’ve seen throughout my career; the team

cohesion and levels of support and mentoring are unparalleled. For example, if there was a topic I didn’t understand, I would ask a team member who would go through it in detail and with an abundance of patience to ensure the knowledge was imparted. This investment of time to train up everyone, to be open and supportive, meant that the work was generally done right the first time. Everyone, no matter their level of experience, had some unique aspect they could share. In turn, this led to the sharing of our varied workloads and expertise to achieve deadlines. My experience of gender balanced workplaces is of a nurturing environment (which does not mean there are not stressful times too) but at least you know you are always in it together with your team supporting you every step of the way. It creates a foundation of respect, to be treated equally and allows you to be who you are, rather than trying to fit into a particular mould.

How can current students prepare for a career path in engineering?

Engineering is the application of science in the world. Following a career in engineering is to be curious about the world and how things work. It is an innovative field where every day you are doing something different. If you love a challenge and are curious, it’s a fantastic path for you. While it is an intellectually thought-provoking career, you also contend with a low-diversity workforce.

If you like subjects such as Science and are reasonably good at Mathematics and English this is a good path (note I didn’t say you have to be incredible at these!). The degree itself is more science based and a good option for those who haven’t quite figured out what career they would like to delve into but are after a degree with practical applications.

Most universities have a “flexible first year” option for engineering while you try out some of the degree’s core subjects. I personally changed my degree on many occasions and this didn’t add more years to my study. I started as a “flexible first Engineering student”, originally thinking I’d like to go into mechatronics, realised that electrical and computer engineering didn’t excite me and moved into the Mechanical Engineering degree with a double degree in Arts majoring in French. I then dropped the double Arts degree and added a one-year Master of Biomedical Engineering which I studied in tandem with my mechanical degree. You can practically build your own career as you try new things at university!

If you’d like a more hands-on experience earlier on, why not do some work experience with an engineer in the field? Alternatively, there are engineering groups out there or join an external club! Feel free to contact me via span@sceggs.nsw.edu.au if you’d like to hear more!