Timothy Lee's engineering placement at Acciona

What motivated you to apply for the ESIPS program?

I wanted to gain experience in construction and required an engineering role to fulfil my Professional Engineering Practice (PEP) requirement. I had to complete my thesis, and ESIPS allowed me to complete both at the same time, so it was a no-brainer.

What was your experience with the program?

The program was great, and Acciona provided me with a wonderful experience. I was able to work both in the office and on-site, which exposed me to a variety of tasks and engineering jobs.

The biggest highlight was when I went into the tunnels for the first time. As this was my first engineering job, I had never been on a commercial site before. Seeing the large road headers dig into the rock was one of the coolest things I had ever seen. Surprisingly, the tunnels weren’t too hot, and the ground wasn’t too muddy. It was a great experience to see the innovative construction processes used today.

What were the biggest challenges, and how did you overcome them?

The biggest challenge was learning how to read the drawings, which wasn’t particularly focused on in my degree, so it was a steep learning curve. I had to look at the drawings a lot to do quantity take-offs, so it was crucial to learn quickly.

One of the biggest helpers was looking at the 3D model together with the drawings. This helped me visualise the 2D drawings and see where everything was and how they fit in with each other. I also used Google to search for unfamiliar terms to get an idea of what they were and asked my team members for help, who were always supportive.

What skills did you develop during your program?

During ESIPS, I learnt how to read drawings and understand what procurement strategies to take to get all materials on-site on time. This involved getting quantities of concrete, steelwork, etc., directly from the drawings and writing up ‘Scope of Work’ packages to send to tenderers. These packages involved writing clearly and succinctly for everyone to understand, especially the subcontractors.

Additionally, I developed my soft skills by talking with workers on-site and the other engineers on my team. Efficient communication was crucial on large-scale projects like the Western Harbour Tunnel, and sharing information on the latest take-offs or drawings was especially important.

How has the ESIPS program influenced your career goals or plans?

The ESIPS program at Acciona helped me realise the fun aspects of the construction industry, seeing the designs progress from concept designs to IFC (issued for construction) designs and the numerous meetings that went into finalising the finished product. Being on-site was also fun, seeing the buildings and tunnels built physically. Hence, this experience solidified my interests in the construction industry and helped me to pursue them even further.

Do you have any advice for other students wanting to take part in the ESIPS program?

I strongly recommend other students to apply for the ESIPS program as you get a taste of what full-time work will look like. Being in a professional environment for six months is invaluable in developing your professional skills and teaches you how to act and behave in a formal setting. Also, you get to complete your thesis in six months, and although it may be a bit hard at times, it is definitely worth it.