In our ‘day in the life’ blog series, we aim to showcase the work of our talented team and help you get to know the faces behind our projects a little better. This month, we sat down with Anthony Scott, an Associate and Senior Civil Engineer in our Hunter office, to chat a bit more about the dynamics of his role and his best advice for anyone considering a career in the field.
Tell us a bit about yourself and what interested you in pursuing Civil Design/Engineering.
My work life commenced straight after high school and I was keen to get working and move into the next stage of my life. I was always strong with numbers and when I was younger, I had a strong interest in cars and motors. I initially thought I might go into mechanical engineering, but an opportunity came up to go into civil engineering / design which appeared to be far more diverse with more opportunities, so I jumped into it and haven’t looked back.
What does a typical workday look like for you, and what brings you the most enjoyment in your role?
My work days are a balance of meetings, phone calls, emails and engineering management or design. The most satisfying parts of my work would include sharing knowledge and skills with younger staff for professional development and finding out when we are successful on tenders or projects.
What’s it like being part of Barker Ryan Stewart’s Design team? Are there any standout projects you’re currently working on?
Its great being part of collaborative team who readily share skills, knowledge and lessons learnt. We have grown our skills in the infrastructure space considerably over the past few years which has allowed BRS to delivery complex projects with challenging timeframes like Wollombi Road Stage 1. This project has been a standout for me currently, and the team have delivered on every milestone even when faced with some very challenging hurdles along the way.
What’s been the most memorable aspect of working at Barker Ryan Stewart so far?
I’d say the open management structure and culture of BRS is most memorable. Prior to BRS I worked with a lot of larger consultancies where there was considerable red tape. When I joined BRS it was a big change, and having the backing from the directors to ‘give it a go’ allowed me to chase government infrastructure work which now dominates my workflow.
Looking back at your career, is there anything that has surprised you about working in Civil Design/Engineering?
Perhaps that a lot of engineering work is non-technical and can require writing, management and business skills more so to be successful as my career grew and positions changed.
Finally, what advice do you have for anyone considering a career in Civil Design/Engineering?
If you have any interest in the civil engineering space I’m sure you will find a career path to suit what you are looking for, be it technical or managerial pathways, consultancy or government opportunities, office or site work, the sector is truly diverse and generally allows young engineers time to develop and settle in the direction of their choosing.
