MEMBER PROFILE
LIFE OF A CIVIL ENGINEER FROM FRUIT PICKER TO CEO
Hari Boppudi CEO, Flinders Shire Council
I am sure what I am today is not what I will be tomorrow as life is full of surprises and challenges. I am trying to master my brain to deal with its demons, day to day work and family challenges, and prepare for what destiny has lined up. I still have at least another 30 years in my career and I will face a few more challenges. There will be ups and downs in my career and a start from scratch, again. Life has taught me: don’t forget where you started, never give up, be honest, work hard, put your effort 100%, respect the outcome, support others where you can without expecting anything in return and learn from failures. I arrived in Australia 13 February 2007 on a student visa to complete a Master’s in Structural Engineering. Thank you, Australia, for allowing me to grow as an individual and professional. I am not shy to say life isn’t easy. What visa consultants tell you while preparing to move overseas and what we deal with on the ground is different. Many people don’t want to hear the reality anyway because we all want to succeed but I have been through many hoops but learned to come out strong every time I fell. Credit goes to my parents who invested all their life savings in supporting my dreams, what we call back
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Lake preconstruction ceremony
home, “Dollar Dreams”. In the life of an immigrant and their family, the fulfilment of the Dollar Dreams come with a lot of effort and sacrifices. My work life in Australia started on a tomato farm. I lasted two days then part-time jobs at restaurants, McDonald’s, Coles, convenience stores, fuel stations and the like. Sometimes, when you are working in part-time employment for more extended periods, tired of searching for full-time jobs, you won’t have much hope. At those times, an immigrant focuses on survival or settlement but not growth. But my boss and mentor, while working as a part-timer at a service station, helped me build my confidence and helped me look at life with a different perspective and positivity. I finished my studies in 2008 and became a Permanent Resident in 2009 which is when the Global Financial Crisis struck and so did the real drama of searching for a job. When I applied for graduate roles, I was overqualified. I applied for the experienced role and was told I didn’t have local experience. I didn’t resign from the part-time positions and never stopped the job search. But in 2009, I started my professional career as a graduate with Ipswich Water, now known as Urban Utilities. I met my first mentor who identified my
capability and guided me in the right direction; he also assisted me to invest my energy in the right areas to progress my career. The biggest step was to accept a role with Flinders Shire Council in June 2010. During these 12 years, I invested my time and savings on many unsuccessful startups like @MillionPlexes and on successful startups such as ARIS and RRETS. My journey with Flinders has been filled with challenges. I’ve met many people, including my wife, who mentored me and supported me in growing as an individual and a professional. I thank everyone I’ve encountered along the way, sticking with me in good and bad times and supporting me to become what I am today. My journey with Flinders has always been something that I will remember for the rest of my life. Many graduates, particularly immigrants, contact me on Linkedin or through common friends. I can easily understand their situation and what they are going through. For some, everything falls into place over time but many immigrants and graduates fall into my category, where it takes time and many challenges to find a comfort zone. My advice: don’t lose hope, don’t deflate, never stop learning, keep your head up, aim high, and achieve your life’s dreams.
ENGINEERING FOR PUBLIC WORKS | MARCH 2022
