NQ Branch Conference Student Reflections

Lawrence Mills Student, Bachelor of Engineering (Honours – civil major), CQ University

As part of the IPWEAQ Student program, Lawrence was offered a complimentary registration to attend the NQ Branch conference in Townsville. He has been living in Rockhampton for the past 21 years, currently in Yeppoon where he enjoys fishing, mountain biking and scuba diving. He has previously worked as an Environmental Scientist in Brisbane and Canberra.

Lawrence reflects on his experience …

I accepted an invitation to attend the NQ Branch conference in Townsville, 16 – 18 June, as it offered an excellent opportunity to learn more about the major projects being undertaken throughout regional Queensland. I was most impressed with the trade exhibition, speakers and overall friendliness of the public works community in attendance. I spoke to numerous company representatives who were showcasing the offerings of their respective companies. Many of these exhibitors were also presenting a paper at the conference and some were major sponsors. I noticed that the types of companies with a trade exhibit were quite diverse, ranging from the large consultancies e.g., Cardno and Fulton Hogan, to companies which I was previously unfamiliar with such as Project Delivery Managers (PDM), SPEL Stormwater and Water Modelling Solutions. The level of innovation demonstrated by these smaller scale companies was intriguing, and it provided an insight into the practices of successful entrepreneurship in the civil sector.

As water engineering is my primary interest, I was excited for the opportunity to speak with representatives from a company I had worked with previously for a university project on erosion and sediment control. I had the opportunity to discuss the project with the team based at the Townsville office including civil design, water modelling, my previous experience and even sporting interests. I also mentioned that I was looking to complete an industry-based thesis as part of the Honours program. Not long after the conference concluded, one of the company’s engineers connected with me on LinkedIn and passed my details to the manager of the Rockhampton office who showed a lot of interest in my thesis project and arranged for their Principal Water Engineer to be my Industry Supervisor. As a result, I am now in the early stages of planning a thesis on the impacts of Climate Change on Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) which I will implement in 2022.

My attendance at the North Queensland Branch Conference was highly beneficial offering not only an opportunity to hear from practitioners in the sector but now I have an opportunity to work on an innovative project that is highly relevant to sustainable development. I would encourage all students when invited to attend an IPWEAQ conference as it opens up a world of ideas, connections and opportunities providing a base to become known in the industry. The chance to converse with industry professionals, without the added burden of being in an interview, allows potential employers to get to know you as a person and how you may fit with their company values.

Thank you to our sponsors for this year’s NQ Branch Conference! SpelStormwater Overall Conference Sponsor (Platinum Sponsorship)

St George Project Services Welcome Function (Gold Sponsor) Project Delivery Managers Pty Ltd Morning Tea (Bronze Sponsorship)

LGIAsuper Charity Auction (Silver Sponsorship)

Shepherd Services Pty Ltd Morning Tea (Bronze Sponsorship)