The company where I started my career was very small and, as a result, I got to do a bit of everything and gained experience in lots of different types of work. I took this experience with me to WSP and applied it on larger projects, such as a 40 megalitre water treatment plant for Kigali, Rwanda. I’ve worked on this project from day one, with my role developing from designer to leader.

As a water engineer, I like to design pump stations, pipelines and reservoirs, although on joining WSP I quickly became involved in managing projects and people as well as designing. Last year, we completed the Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase II, a 32 billion rand dam-and-tunnel project that I managed. It involved working with ten different sub-contractors and the turnaround time was just three months.

I’ve always enjoyed dealing with clients and handling lots of different projects. Multidisciplinary projects are especially enjoyable because you get to work with a wide range of other engineers and learn from their input. This was particularly valuable when I was a young engineer looking to complete my registration – an issue I’m passionate about.

When I went through the registration process, I was called for an interim interview before the review stage. I just didn’t know what to expect. Something I’d thought would be a 30-minute chat turned into a 2-hour grilling by half a dozen interviewers. I successfully achieved my registration, but I wanted others to have a better idea of what to expect than I did. So, through WSP’s Professional Growth Network, I became involved in mentoring young engineers through the interview stage of professional registration.

All this means I’ve taken on a lot of responsibility and I’m learning how to juggle everything, but it’s still fun.