What's your job about?
I am in the Transport Advisory and Planning team within the Stantec Auckland office – essentially the team that works on business cases and a variety of different aspects of the safety and effectiveness of the wider transport network. I do a lot of private sectors development work, being in the team that was essentially Traffic Design Group (TDG) now Stantec.
I am involved in the planning, design, and assessment of transportation-related projects of a variety of scales and nature, in many instances assessing these against the requirements of the Resource Management Act (RMA) via the Auckland Unitary Plan and other District Plans within NZ. For example, one of our bigger clients is a Large Format Retail business, and whenever they want to implement a new store or make changes to a current store anywhere in the country, I review the client’s architectural plans and assess them against the Unitary Plan / District Plan requirements to see if they comply, in terms of the traffic effects (using software such as SIDRA or AIMSUN) on the surrounding transport network, access, parking, and loading provisions. These are then summarised into a report for the client.
I also engage in direct communication with clients and the project team (planners, architects, and civil engineers).
I am also a committee member of both the Stantec Social Club (SC) and the Developing Professionals Group (DPG) committees within the office, where I help contribute ideas and implement initiatives events to create a welcoming and developing culture within Stantec Auckland.
What's your background?
I am a New Zealand-born Korean, who grew up in East Auckland. I went to Owairoa Primary School, Bucklands Beach Intermediate, Macleans College, and The University of Auckland (UoA).
In year 11 at Macleans College, I attended the annual Careers Evening, where representatives from different universities and professions came to my school to give presentations. The particular talk I wanted to attend filled up, so I was unintentionally pushed into the UoA Engineering talk. Without knowing anything about Engineering, I listened. The speaker started the presentation by saying: ‘Engineers are like scientific inventors. They use scientific knowledge and ideas to create solutions and make the world a better place to live in.’
This was a “eureka” moment for me. Throughout my life I had intended to make the world a better place and to be a positive influence – therefore, it felt like the definition of an engineer fit exactly into my desires!
From that day onwards, I have had a strong vision to become an engineer. I knew I wanted to study for the Bachelor of Civil & Environmental Engineering degree at UoA because I was passionate about the idea of incorporating sustainability into civil engineering practices. And so, three years later, I began my BE(Hons).
Another three years later, I have interviewed for the TDG now Stantec internship that I gratefully secured and where I spent the 2016/2017 summer. Then, I spent another two years of part-time work there. Fast-forward to 2022 and here I am now – at Stantec as a practising professional transportation engineer!
Could someone with a different background do your job?
Anyone with a general Civil Engineering degree could start off in, or jump ship from another profession into, the transportation engineering profession - because transportation engineering is a branch within the broader family of civil engineering. I also consider that anyone with a different (non-civil engineering) background could enter the transportation engineering profession albeit with some limitations. I personally think it’s very important to have a unifying core interest/value to be good at it – you’ve got to care about the PEOPLE. Whoever it may be that you are catering for - with your project, design, or planning.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
I am greatly interested in the people and how they interact within communities using the transportation systems we plan and design. I am also interested in how we can cater for these people from different backgrounds, experiences, and cultures so that they can navigate through the transport infrastructure in a safe and logical manner. I consider myself fortunate to be in an amazing team at Stantec filled with talented and knowledgeable people from who I can learn (and have learned) so much. Being in the SC and DPG committees also mean I can take part in influencing the office’s company and people-focussed culture!
What are the limitations of your job?
I personally value individuals’ overall wellbeing (and also specifically the individuals’ mental wellbeing), and I know that Stantec New Zealand is a place that appreciates and caters for this. I was given a 32-hour contract for my graduate role - because my boss at the time (who knew me well from my TDG and now Stantec days) knew I wasn’t physically and mentally capable of doing a 40-hour week full-time job. I mean, I can’t guarantee everything will be great about a job - there’s always two sides to the coin, however, it’s honestly how you (or I) make the most of it either way.
3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...
I would emphasise the importance of professional networking and building your personal/professional reputation through interacting with a wide variety of other industry professionals.
I also recommend working on developing your soft skills, through things such as extra-curricular or work experience. I have found (and know that my professional colleagues and developing professionals at Stantec and in other firms/organisations) value qualities such as leadership, communication, and team-working skills over being simply “book-smart”.
Also, define your life/career values, and use them to help you decide your career pathway.
Because these are all why and how I got my internship AND my eventual graduate job.