The Multiplex Graduate

University provides an abundance of new experiences however, as you approach graduation you are faced with a whole new set of experiences and responsibilities, like finding the right place to kickstart your career. There are many graduate programmes in the built industry, but how do you decide. Emma Wallace shares her experience in kickstarting her career in construction through the Multiplex Australia Graduate Program.

 I studied Product Design Engineering at Swinburne University of Technology; a curriculum that combines Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Design. I chose this course as it suited my analytical and problem-solving qualities, as well as enabling my interest in creativity and design. Drawing is often how I process my learnings and being creative provides a release to give life to new ideas, reflect on and process my day-to-day experiences. I often share these illustrations on my Instagram account @emmawallace.designs 

  

Whilst studying, I worked for a domestic builder on high end architectural and heritage listed home renovations. This is where my passion for construction and interest in project management began and ultimately why I joined the Multiplex Australia Graduate Program; I saw the vastness in opportunities to learn through the various graduate rotations.

When I applied, the word ‘culture’ was thrown around a lot and I was unsure as to why it was so frequently spoken about. Now, having worked as part of a Multiplex team, I understand it. The culture is one that I am proud to be a part of. Everyone is comfortable and encouraged to be themselves and their interests and strengths are championed and supported. In my experience the teams are diverse, but they come together for a common goal.

The leaders I have worked with have upheld and ensured the development of mutual trust and respect.  Two of which are particularly important mentors for me; they believed in me before I believed in myself, they trusted me before I trusted myself and they saw the potential in me before I could see it in myself. They are strong communicators with incredible emotional intelligence which they know how to use to get the best out of their team. They created a positive and productive team environment in their own ways; one always remained calm and clear, the other injected energy and enthusiasm. Both were always approachable, kept their sense of humour, and clearly communicated and demonstrated through action that they cared. Although they were both extremely busy, they always took the time to check-in and had a strong focus on learning. I look up to both of them, I trust them and today, I think to myself “What would they say” and “What would they do?”

My first Multiplex project was the M-City Monash project, a $1b 30,000m2 mixed use development, where I joined the Hotel and Office team. I started off by overseeing the end of trip facilities in the basement of the office building.

I was then trusted with the coordination of the commercial kitchen and then, more broadly, the hotel podium levels which included a large bar, ballroom, restaurant, meeting rooms, staff amenities, lobbies and more! I worked through design management, services coordination, and site supervision rotations. I worked closely with various subcontractors including service trades, refrigeration, and the kitchen contractor. There were a lot of high-end finishes and features such as large timber doors, operable walls and huge mesh curtains hung from the ceiling.

The day-to-day activities varied significantly depending on the stage and requirements of the project. Rather than being boxed into a specific role, I progressed and developed with the needs of the project; I was involved in all the stages of the hotel podium from initial rough in through to defects. 

I ran services coordination meetings for the commercial kitchen and various subcontractor meetings for the bar. The large, curved stone bar resulted in numerous factory visits to check-in on the progress and finishes. There were a lot of custom-made stainless-steel products such as benches, sinks and cocktail stations which also required reviews on drawings and check-ins on progress in the factory. 

I was trusted to complete these tasks autonomously. I am learning on site every day. There are obvious learnings such as how to write a programme, or how to take meeting minutes, which come with experience. The more important skills are not the obvious ones, and they require continuous work. Practicing managing up is one that I find particularly important yet challenging. Developing emotional intelligence and ways to be more assertive and confident in decision making are also skills which I am working on.  It takes many subcontractors to construct a building and similarly it takes a diverse team to manage the project. The subcontractors, as specialists in their field resemble a team of varied personalities and skillsets. 

Supervision comprised of troubleshooting with contractors, writing and reviewing mini programmes for specific areas and pushing these programmes to stay on track. I was reviewing progress constantly, looking forward to what was to be done next and ensuring high quality finishes met the client’s expectations. The challenge during this stage was trusting my decision making and the solutions I was proposing, based on the information I had. The defect stage involved working closely with the client and reviewing the project in detail.

I was in a team with strong leadership and support; I was given guidance however felt that I had the freedom to make my own decisions and was trusted to complete my role the way that suited me. My Project Manager’s advice was “back yourself” and in return, they backed me.

There have been numerous challenges which I have been confronted with over the last year where I have been able to draw on knowledge from past projects (both work and university) to solve them. For example, when reviewing the drawings of the stainless-steel benches in the commercial kitchen, I could rely on my knowledge of manufacturing from my university degree. I am comfortable in reading and interpreting architectural drawings, despite never formally learning it; this is likely because I learnt in detail about how to create engineering drawings ready for manufacture whilst in university. 

On reflection, I laugh at how nervous I felt when I first started because I thought I did not have the knowledge or skills to do my job effectively, however I now realise that it had nothing to do with my abilities and everything boiled down to my attitude. In the past I have experienced ‘imposter syndrome’ but now understand that although my skillset may be a little different to others, it has proven to be of great value to my team.  I am now completing my safety rotation at West Side Place Stage 2. I am aware that I have a lot to learn and am looking for different ways to contribute to my new team.

This piece was curated by Malik Khan for The Construction Coach blog. 


Emma Wallace

Graduate at Multiplex

Bachelor of Engineering (Product Design)

Instagram @emmawallace.designs

Having completed my degree in Swinburne University of Technology, I have entered the Multiplex Australia Graduate Programme to kickstart my career in construction.

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