Mechanical engineer Hannah Talebi didn’t expect her Australian career to begin on a chocolate factory floor. That unexpected start became the foundation for her rise to design leadership in the water industry.
As told to Chloe Hava
When I moved to Australia from Iran almost a decade ago, I’d already studied mechanical engineering and worked briefly in the automotive industry, gaining a strong foundation in mechanical design, compliance and production support. I was eager to explore new challenges in a different setting and see what I was capable of.
But navigating the local job market was far from easy. One of the biggest hurdles was not having a network. In Australia’s engineering sector, so much depends on who you know. As a migrant, you arrive without those connections, which can be incredibly isolating.
I faced the double challenge of being both a woman and migrant engineer. Many women end up leaving engineering altogether, either at university or once in the workplace, because it can be a difficult environment to thrive in.
At the highest echelons, I can think of few female leaders and even fewer migrant leaders. While diversity may appear to exist on the surface, it tends to disappear at executive level.
Missing out on opportunities
When applying for roles as a migrant, I have found that employment systems aren’t designed with us in mind. HR departments and hiring managers often don’t have enough knowledge of visa processes or what different visa types mean in practice. I’ve had multiple second-round interviews only to miss out on securing a role after disclosing my immigration status. As soon as it’s mentioned, employers say, “We’re not sure if we can accommodate that”, and move on to a candidate who is an Australian citizen or someone already connected through their network.
Employers expect local experience before offering a role. But without securing a job in your field, you can’t gain that experience. It’s no surprise that many skilled migrant engineers leave the profession entirely because they can’t overcome these barriers.
A twist of fate
Instead of waiting for my dream job in the engineering field, I found work in an adjacent field as a factory worker at Haigh’s Chocolates.
It might not have been engineering, but the work was hands-on and mechanical. With my engineering background, I excelled at troubleshooting and fine tuning the production line.
Management noticed I was performing above my level, and asked how I’d become so comfortable with the machinery and skilled at improving its efficiency. When I told them I had an engineering degree and a role at the company opened up, I was encouraged to apply.
For them, it made perfect sense. I already knew the chocolate-making process, and I was also an engineer. It was a perfect alignment of timing and opportunity.
At Haigh’s, I blended engineering with innovation – designing and commissioning production equipment, introducing digital maintenance systems, and leading cross-functional teams to further lift efficiency and accelerate product development. That mix of technical depth and hands-on leadership laid the foundation for my move into large-scale infrastructure projects.
After several years at Haigh’s, I moved into the water industry, starting out as a design engineer.
Since moving into the water and wastewater sector, I’ve delivered complex infrastructure projects across Australia, leading multidisciplinary teams and driving design, compliance and cost-efficient solutions.
I’ve taken projects end-to-end – from feasibility and options assessment through detailed design and delivery – chairing workshops and embedding innovations that improved safety and performance.
This path helped me to work my way up to my current position of Design Manager, where I’m thriving at the intersection of technical expertise, leadership and client engagement.
READ: Obstacles remain for overseas-trained engineers. What’s being done to break down barriers and make the most of their skills?
Finding solutions
For me, success has come from stepping outside my comfort zone – talking to new people, taking risks, and accepting that rejection is part of the journey. Managing technical challenges has always been straightforward; navigating social and cultural barriers in a new country was much harder.
Volunteering with Engineers Australia played a major role in helping me find my footing. Through committees for women and migrant engineers and the mechanical college board, I found a sense of belonging and a network of people who understood the challenges I was facing. Being surrounded by like-minded professionals makes a huge difference, particularly when you’re part of a diverse group.
Hard work and self-belief are essential, as is surrounding yourself with mentors who can guide you along the way. There are many mentorship opportunities through Engineers Australia networks. I met one of my mentors at a networking event when we were both on a panel about women in engineering, and others through the workplace.
I’ve learnt the value of having multiple mentors with different strengths. One of my mentors brings exceptional technical expertise, though he’s not the best fit for interpersonal issues. For those, I draw on another mentor – a female engineer with significant management experience – who helps me work through the people side of leadership.
Hidden strengths
Along with diversity of experience and perspective, migrant engineers have resilience in spades. If you can navigate visa systems, uproot your life and rebuild your career from scratch, you can handle almost anything. That resilience translates directly into the workplace – enabling you to stay composed under pressure, solve problems creatively and become someone your team can rely on.
Australia’s engineering sector could benefit greatly from recognising and harnessing this potential more effectively. Skilled migrants bring a wealth of international knowledge – and increase productivity due to global skills and insights – but too often this knowledge is undervalued simply because it wasn’t gained locally. Over time, this oversight becomes a missed opportunity for innovation and growth.
In the water and wastewater field, engineers from overseas often have experience working under much harsher conditions, including designing systems to withstand freezing temperatures, earthquakes or even volcanoes. This expertise offers fresh perspectives that can help to build resilience into Australian infrastructure.
Bridging the gap
In my view, there’s still a gap between government policy around skilled migration and workplace readiness.
Australia is actively recruiting skilled migrants, but many organisations are not equipped to employ them. A lack of understanding about visa conditions and employment regulations creates unnecessary barriers for both employers and candidates. Improving awareness and education in this area would make a significant difference.
For migrant engineers just starting out in Australia, my best advice is to find your professional community – whether it’s civil, mechanical or another discipline – and get involved.
And don’t be afraid to take an unconventional path. Starting out in a chocolate factory isn’t exactly a traditional route for an engineer – but when you stay open-minded to opportunities, unexpected beginnings can lead to remarkable outcomes.
The Overseas Qualified Engineers Career Support Hub is your go-to for credible, industry-specific guidance, supporting you to take the next step in your Australian engineering career.
Thank you, Hannah, for explaining the challenges faced by newcomer engineers. I hope these problems will be solved, or at least reduced. I understand them all because I am currently facing the same challenges myself.
Thanks again, and congratulations on your successful work.
All the best
It a wonderful account of crisis and victory. After the rise of Islamic Revolution in Iran, I was deprived of my birthrights in Iran, eventually I came to Australia as a Baha’i refugee. I was penny less, but hopeful and glad. Government and people of Australia welcomed me with open arms. However, finding work in the field of my studies wasn’t easy. While working in a factory, I attended Sydney University and eventually became a qualified Social Worker meeting Australian requirements. Today, I am a happily retired Australian with wonderful memories of decades of service to hundreds of people who migrated to this blessed country and have called Australia home.
“ The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens. Baha’u’llah “
I could recommend you contact the Cuty of Kalgoorlie-Boulder. They have serious problems with their wastewater/sewerage plant, in that the stench is affecting the quality of life for thousands of residents. The wind is often blowing the smell across suburban areas and no one seems to have a solution. There should be no smell from this.
My friend Sue (not her real name) had the same experience. She came as an asylum seeker and aeronautical engineer who worked in Iran for Iran Air. She worked as a beautician after getting knocked back from many job applications. Then she studied project management and now has a great job in the water industry. So sad that several years were wasted due to Australia’s policies. And prejudice. But she succeeded!