Tara Andrews GradIEAust is the Area Manager of ARTC, and volunteers her time with Young Engineers Newcastle to organise events that provide a support network for young engineers.
“I’m beginning my third year on the Young Engineers Newcastle (YEN) committee, which I’ve been on since I graduated from university.
We hold events for young engineers around Newcastle, most of them still at university or recently graduated. The events can range from networking evenings to guest speaker sessions and more.
Such a support service is important because when you start in the workforce it’s overwhelming. It’s even more difficult if you don’t know others, or if you’ve moved from elsewhere for university or work.
YEN is about bringing engineers together and introducing them to different people and different companies. It’s also a community where people can talk about things, solve challenges and find opportunities.
I’m very busy, with a full-time job and a professional football commitment that involves four nights of training each week and travel for matches. But I still make room for volunteering as it’s extremely important for my own career development and for other local engineers.”
Read more about Engineers Australia’s volunteers here.