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Bouygues Construction Australia

  • 100 - 500 employees

Mariam Gaid

Working in final lining is very interesting. There is always new challenge every day with a fast paced environment.

What is your background?

I joined Bouygues Construction Australia on Northconnex as a graduate engineer in June 2018. Beforehand I graduated as a Civil Engineer in 2017 and worked in the telecommunication industry. I was interested in tunnelling and knew that large infrastructure offers some of the most challenging projects in the industry. This is why I was very excited to join Bouygues Construction as they are a top international company with a lot of experience in infrastructure and tunnelling, with the added benefit of having projects right across the globe.

What does your job at BYCA consist of?

Currently, I am part of the NorthConnex Tunnel Wide team working on the tunnel’s final lining as a shift engineer. My role includes managing the QA process of shotcrete, installation of waterproofing and creating daily shift reports on productivity and overall compliance of production.

My day starts at 5:30 for a hand over from the previous shift, followed by a pre-start meeting with my crew to plan our work for the day, then I usually go underground to check the work, plan ahead and often do quality testing. I will then manage the allocation of shotcrete throughout the day and by the end of the shift, I will have completed a production report and all relevant QA documents.

What makes you excited about your job?  

Working in the final lining is very interesting. There is always a new challenge every day with a fast-paced environment. It’s also rewarding as there is a strong sense of achievement, especially when a section of the tunnel is completed and handed over for the next stage of development.

The crew work very well together with a strong bond and good work ethic which is a great work environment for me to learn and grow.

How you would describe your experience within BYCA?

My experience with BYCA has been very exciting and challenging. I would never have imagined that I would be brave enough to be lowered down a 100m shaft in a small man box attached to a crane. There aren’t a lot of workplaces that offer this experience and I’m excited to see what the future holds.

The position requires me to be on top of many tasks simultaneously, allowing for a very steep learning curve. It has definitely improved my management skills as I need to ensure that my crew know which tasks are prioritised to meet our targets or to overcome challenges, or to make sure the concrete testers and traffic controllers are available for each shift and the right concrete mix is batched and going to the correct location.

Being a French company, you do hear many colleagues with French accents, but apart from that, it is quite hard to tell as there is a wide range of cultures within the workplace. I think it makes the workplace more lively and adds character.

Any advice for your younger self back when you were a student?

  • Study what you interested in and believe in yourself
  • Get as much experience as possible before graduating
  • Do not be intimidated by entering a male dominant career