Engineering
Describe your job – what do you do?
Suzanne Lambert Job history 2022–Present Business Analyst Partners in Performance 2020–2022 Engineering Consultant NES Consult
Academic history 2018–2019 Master of Engineering in Civil Engineering University of Cape Town 2013–2017 BSc in Civil Engineering University of Cape Town
116 | YO U R CA R E E R G U I D E 2022
I’ve just begun a new job at Partners in Performance. PIP is a management consultancy that hires diverse, pragmatic and out-the-box thinkers. It partners with a variety of different industries to solve complex operational challenges. Focusing on implementation, they have a handson approach to drive lasting change. It’s my job to aid organisations and their employees to diagnose their operational issues, find and implement the best avenues for performance improvement, and ultimately help them gear themselves toward continuous improvement.
How did you make the transition from your previous job? What got me up in the morning at my previous post was meeting new clients, and problem-solving and brainstorming possible solutions with them. The shift from engineering to management consulting meant I could do this on a larger scale for a wider scope of
industries. Another pull to my new job was the supportive culture at PIP where I could receive mentoring and coaching to achieve my full potential.
How have your degrees helped you to get where you are? My undergraduate engineering degree was integral in teaching me how to think and how to work in partnership with my peers. Additionally, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to delve into interesting research for my master’s research project, and undertaking the lab work taught me how to deal with complex and unforeseen problems and how to make informed decisions based on incomplete information. I utilise the soft skills learnt from both my degrees daily, but the tangible degree behind my name has also unlocked many career opportunities for me.
What has been a highlight of your career so far? A highlight has been problem-solving and brainstorming in group settings, either with clients or colleagues. In
