Gaudioso Jr Balot MIEAust CPEng arrived in Australia as a qualified and experienced engineer. But like many overseas-qualified engineers, his lack of “local experience” made finding work difficult. He now helps others via the Sydney Migrant Engineers Group.
I was born in the small town of Santiago, Isabela, in the northern Philippines, the second of three children raised by my humble parents Jossu and Charito. As a child, I was shy and timid, earning me the nickname “Dagul”, a humorous nod to my small, chubby frame. My dreams back then were grand – I wanted to become either a soldier or a priest. But life, as it often does, had other plans for me.
My father, a professional electrical engineer, saw my potential and convinced me to pursue civil engineering. At 16, I left my childhood dreams behind and enrolled at the University of La Salette. Juggling studies and work, I began as a draftsman, using little more than pencils, T-squares and a sturdy drawing board to create detailed architectural and structural plans. This early experience taught me discipline and resilience.
By the time I graduated in 2000 with a degree in civil engineering, I had already built a foundation of hands-on experience managing small construction projects and mentoring workers. That same year, I married Arlene, and we were soon blessed with a son, Isaiah Joshua. A year later, I earned my Professional Regulation Commission license, certifying me as a registered civil engineer in the Philippines.

Moving to Australia
From 2002-2005, I worked with the National Irrigation Administration to design and maintain infrastructure such as dams, irrigation canals and service roads. Despite having a stable job, we struggled financially. With a growing family and mounting bills, Arlene and I often took on side jobs to make ends meet.
In 2005, we made the bold decision to migrate to Australia, seeking better opportunities for Isaiah. Arlene, a medical scientist, became the primary applicant for our skilled visa, and I supported the application as the secondary applicant. We landed in Sydney with just $1000 borrowed from my brother-in-law in America, a few suitcases and a heart full of hope.
Our first few weeks were challenging. We stayed with relatives in Western Sydney, who kindly took us in until we could stand on our own. I found work as a casual labourer with a shopfitting company, demolishing walls, handling heavy glass partitions, and cleaning up construction debris. It was gruelling work, often requiring me to wake up at four o’clock to catch the first bus and walk a kilometre to the stop. My hands were sore and swollen from the physical strain, but I was grateful for the income.
Finding work in engineering, however, was a different story. I applied for several positions, but the lack of “local experience” became a barrier I couldn’t seem to overcome. One interview with a local council ended abruptly when the interviewer asked if I had Australian work experience. The rejection shattered my confidence and forced me to confront the reality of starting over.
For nearly seven years, I worked in manufacturing, earning a stable income but feeling disconnected from my true calling. I battled impostor syndrome daily, knowing I had the skills to contribute to the engineering industry but feeling trapped by the lack of opportunities. Those years of frustration fuelled a promise I made to myself: I would find a way back to engineering and help others like me overcome these barriers.
Goals achieved
In 2008, I took the first step toward fulfilling that promise. While working 12-hour shifts, I enrolled in an Advanced Diploma in Structural Engineering at TAFE NSW. Sleep became a luxury as I balanced work, study and family life. I often slept in my car between shifts and classes, but the hard work paid off when I graduated with distinction.
Unfortunately, a car accident on the way to my graduation ceremony meant I missed the event, but the achievement marked a turning point in my journey.
Armed with my diploma, I became a graduate member of Engineers Australia and began applying for entry-level engineering positions. After hundreds of applications, I finally secured a role as a structural draftsman in 2012. It was a humbling transition, as I left a six-figure salary in manufacturing for a graduate engineer’s pay. But the opportunity reignited my passion for engineering and allowed me to gain valuable local experience.
Over the next few years, I juggled work and further education, earning a Bachelor of Construction Management in 2015 while contributing to projects, including designs for Sydney Airport and various residential developments. Each step brought me closer to my ultimate goals: becoming a design engineer, achieving Chartered Engineer status, and making a meaningful impact in the engineering community.
In 2018, I joined Sydney Trains as a Design Officer, focusing on civil engineering for bridges and infrastructure. Around the same time, I became involved with Engineers Australia’s Western Sydney Regional Group (WSRG), where I discovered the power of volunteering. Working with WSRG inspired me to think about how I could support migrant engineers facing the same challenges I once did.
In 2022, I joined the Sydney Migrant Engineers (SME) committee, eventually becoming Chair in 2023. Through webinars, workshops and networking events, we create opportunities for migrant engineers to build local experience, connect with mentors and find their footing in the Australian job market.
The committee has grown from a handful of members to nearly 2000 followers, gaining recognition and support from Engineers Australia’s Sydney Division.
Being worthy
Last year was a great year. I achieved Chartered Engineer status in civil and structural engineering, and accepted the Engineers Australia National President’s Award on behalf of SME. These milestones are deeply meaningful, but the real reward has been seeing the impact of our work on the lives of others.
Looking back, my journey from Santiago to Sydney has been filled with challenges, sacrifices and triumphs. My motto – “esto dignus” or “be worthy” – has guided me through every step. I believe resilience, faith and a commitment to helping others can transform even the most daunting obstacles into opportunities for growth and service.
As I step down as Chair of SME, I am confident the work we’ve done will continue to inspire and empower migrant engineers. Together, we’ve proven that with determination, community, and support, it’s possible to break down barriers and build a brighter future – not just for ourselves, but for the generations to come.
Get involved in the Sydney Migrant Engineers Group, which won the 2024 Engineers Australia National President’s Prize.
Dear IEAust,
Great article on migrant engineers. I’m going to be point blank. I work with and have employed and mentored graduate engineers from all over West and East Africa and SE Asia. My company has offices in Dakar, Kigali, Vietiane, Hanoi, and Shanghai. The actual gradaute quality we take on is highly variable -from Year 12 levels of maths and knowledge, to perhaps almost 1st year Australian engineering with a bit of guidance. This is after a full 4 year degree in their local Universities.
Australia wants to place itself on the list of the high-tech economies of the world, and so therefore needs to be extremely carefull about retraining and update training and quality of engineers. The current IEAust systems are insufficent to test an engineers experience and knowledge to international or Australian standards.
Industry has also been suffering due to the restructuring of our University finance model for quite some time, with our own home grown Australian engineering graduates requiring nearly 4 years of “graduate engineer apprenticeship” to be turned into safe, experienced engineers of high quality as a result. When I turned up at work back in the mid ’80s, I was designing major stormwater drains which were installed under local roads from my second week in the office with minimal supervision. My company has invested in many Australian graduates who have gone on to have great careers in much higher paying roles across Australia, across the water and mining sectors.
At some level, all non-Aboriginal people are migrants to Australia. Lets focus on training people in Australia to the required standard and hence maintain our quality standards across all fields of endeavour.
If we need more engineers, make University free for engineering students, and add a scholarship. If we need focused engineering areas of practice, recruit the best in the field. My Phd in Engineering at Uni Melb only happened because it was free and had a scholarship.
Perhaps you should focus instead on why politicians (and perhaps scientists) believe Australian engineers can’t design cars, trucks, satellites, space rockets, fusion reactors, surface to air missles, combat aircraft, aircraft carriers, green power systems, submarines and nuclear power plants?
This is our high tech future and a massive blockage for progressing Australian Engineering into the future. In WW2 we had our own Aussie tank which out performed all the British tanks in the Desert campaign and helped stop Rommel, our own fighter planes which were very good for fighter bomber support work in the Pacific campaign.
What changed?
Stop letting the politicians offshore Aussie engineering jobs. They clearly have a serious conflict of interest to do so financially, look at the recent AUKUS swap from France to USA as but one example. For the $830 million that went to France for breaking Submarine contracts, our government engineers could have geared up, designed and launched our first prototypes. $830m = ~1000 engineers for 5 years…
Read about the Australian Submarine Coorporation below:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASC_Pty_Ltd
Thanks very much, and good luck to us all.
Cheers David