NZ’s investment in infrastructure creating jobs

MEDIA RELEASE

22 March 2017

NZ’s investment in infrastructure creating jobs

Global engineering and advisory firm recruiting 30 graduates in NZ

Global engineering and advisory firm Aurecon, will be recruiting approximately 30 graduates around the country[1] in 2017, as part of its annual graduate recruitment programme.

With the release of the latest instalment of the Government’s Ten Year Capital Intentions Plan (CIP) in 2016, the Government is showing its commitment to a pipeline of $100.9 billion worth of infrastructure projects over the next decade in New Zealand.

Aurecon’s New Zealand Regional Director, Carl Devereux, said, “While the majority of the investment over the past few years has been in road infrastructure and the restoration of key services in earthquake affected areas such as Canterbury and Kaikoura, there has also been good investment in major infrastructure projects such as the Auckland City Rail Link.”

“In addition, New Zealand has seen continued economic growth, which bodes well for those working in the engineering industry.”

Aurecon is looking for new staff to support a range of infrastructure projects, including the Auckland City Rail Link, a series of dairy plant projects for Fonterra, and the Northland Bridges project.

Traditional graduate recruitment has focused on candidate capabilities such as teamwork, analytical, technical and communication skills, but Aurecon’s graduate programme differs as it allows graduates to specialise early in the programme.

“Our graduate programme offers those seeking employment the opportunity to play to their strengths and fast track their career by offering specialised work at the outset of the Built Environment, Advisory, Energy and Resources, Manufacturing and Infrastructure teams,” said Mr Devereux.

“In our experience this is a better approach than rotations as it gets young professionals ‘on the job’ as early as possible in their career. We do, however, offer flexibility for emerging professionals looking to gain experience in different divisions, within New Zealand and internationally.”

Aurecon is seeking graduates from the mechanical, electrical, civil, structural, chemical/process, environmental and geotechnical engineering and engineering geologist fields, as well as those with project management, survey and planning degrees.

A focus on recruiting the right future-ready skills
Aurecon’s recruitment strategy is to focus on finding future ready skills in its employees.

“Known as the ‘Aurecon Attributes’, these cover eight specific skills: sense-making, commercial thinking, resourcefulness, inquisitiveness, those who are engaging, as well as co-creative, fearless and unconventional thinkers,” Devereux said.

Known as having the Aurecon Attribute of “engaging,” Cassandra Kenworthy has been with Aurecon for three years after being accepted into Aurecon’s graduate programme. She is currently at the forefront of developing engineering design in transport, including consideration of autonomous vehicles in strategic planning, and on such projects as the Auckland City Rail Link.

“Aurecon doesn’t have a formal graduate rotation programme, which means you can focus on your area of interest from the outset,” she said. “Over the years I have been given the opportunity to contribute to many multimodal projects within the transport planning team, and develop experience working in a consulting environment on the latest designs and innovations.”

“A key achievement for me in my career so far is being selected as Global Chair for “Limelight,” Aurecon’s emerging professionals’ programme. Limelight aims to promote a culture of innovation, involvement and improvement. In this role, I support Limelight committees and encourage emerging professionals across Aurecon to help bring innovative ideas to life.”

The introduction of new technologies such as autonomous vehicles requires a unique perspective. Mr Devereux believes that engineers are traditionally problem solvers, but the future-ready workforce will need Aurecon to also become problem finders.

“The engineer of the future will no longer rely on past experience or engineering templates to solve problems: they will be able to bring transdisciplinary skills to problem finding and creativity to problem solving,” said Devereux.

“Given the anticipated growth in our Advisory business, and the unique challenges our clients are facing, Aurecon is also shifting the emphasis of our graduate recruitment programme this year to favour graduate candidates with double degrees, such as engineering/architecture, engineering/commerce, engineering/arts and engineering/IT.

“We see double degrees as a continuing trend, blending both technical, creative and commercial skills,” said Devereux.

For further information about Aurecon’s graduate recruitment programme for 2017, see:  www.aurecongroup.com/graduates

About Aurecon
Aurecon is a global engineering and infrastructure advisory company which brings ideas to life to design a better future. Imagining what is possible, we turn problems into solutions. 
We provide advisory, design, delivery and asset management services on projects across a range of markets, in locations worldwide.  
Understanding the value of expertise, we mobilise our global pool of talent to understand and solve the critical and complex problems you face. We seek to unravel complexity, create clarity and invent new value for you.
We use our thinking to provide innovative solutions. 
We bring ideas to life by partnering with you and using our innovation and expertise, with technology, to solve your complex problems. 
To find out more about what we have been up to visit our newsroom, or take a glimpse into the future on our Just Imagine blog. 
Privately owned by employees, Aurecon formed in 2009 when Africon, Connell Wagner and Ninham Shand announced the formation of a new global group.
Please visit www.aurecongroup.com for further information.

[1] A total of 102 graduates will be engaged in Australia and New Zealand

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