Time at Ampol:  

Q: What did you study at University? 
A: I studied a Bachelor of Engineering – Mechanical at Macquarie University.  At the time, I had no idea that the type of work I do now was even an option and a possible job. 

Q:  Why did you join Ampol’s Graduate Program? 
A:  I had left my previous engineering job during COVID, as I knew that it was not the type of work that I was passionate about, but knew that I wanted a job where I could mix practical and theoretical knowledge and be working inside as well as outside.  

I had seen an ad for a position on LinkedIn and had a friend who had started in the program earlier in the year, who was very complimentary of the program. The position description for the Grad Program was a little bit vague about the type of work that you would do, but it made it very intriguing.I figured I didn’t have anything to lose so I finalised my application.  

Of the dozens of jobs and companies that I had applied to, Ampol was the only company that had any sort of response to my applications, so it almost felt like it was meant to be.  

Q:  What have you experienced/learnt during your time on the Graduate Program? 
A: I have been lucky enough to experience a wide range of activities across four of the five engineering teams, them being Reliability and Maintenance tanks (R&M) and Mechanical, Capital Projects and Major Projects/Remediation. 

Through my rotations I was part of a range of different projects and activities across multiple sites including Tank Turnaround and Inspections, upgrade projects around sites, business critical maintenance and environmental compliance projects.   

 
Q: What do you love most about working at Ampol? 
A: No two days are the same. It’s probably the most overused statement about a job ever, but it is genuine. The projects and jobs I’m involved in are always changing and evolving and you encounter different challenges which need to be resolved. While all the tanks may look like big, white cylinders, they are all slightly different so what you do for one tank may not necessarily work for another. You have to pivot and re-think your approach. I do have standard sorts of activities like developing work scopes and conducting inspections, but these are different to depending on the tank type and its location in Australia.  

Another thing I love is the travel. I’m fortunate that with tanks in almost very state/territory that there are opportunities to travel to see new sites and build networks across the different parts of the company. When doing this, I also get to learn from contractors who have been in the tank repair space for 15+ years who always freely and willingly provide their experiences within the business which helps in my development in how to approach repairs or modifications required and how it may be possible to execute in a practical way onsite.  

 
Q: Biggest benefit to your career? 
A:  There is so much experience in all the teams that I work with and the team that I am in. Everyone is so open with their knowledge and willing to share it if you are willing to listen and learn.   
  
Q: What’s next for you? 
A: Following the Grad Program, I was lucky enough to be offered a position within the Distribution Tank Group. This group is small but mighty. and responsible for the inspection and repair of tanks in the terminals and depots around Australia.  

In this role, I am involved in multiple phases of work. From developing initial work scopes, inspections during and post-work and routine in service inspections. I get to be involved in an incredibly wide range of work, which might seem to be repetitive, but each tank has its own personality and nuances that make each job unique.  

My goals in this role are to develop more of my technical knowledge and skills, and gain my API and NACE qualifications to hopefully be on my way to being technically proficient in all things tanks.