Brianna Barnett was interviewed by IPWEA Qld for their September issue of Engineering for Public Works about her career in regional public works.

IPWEAQ member Brianna Barnett is Senior Works Manager at Western Downs Regional Council (WDRC), 400km west of Brisbane. After completing projects in past roles spanning residential, industrial, energy, mining, ports, water, fleet and asset management, Brianna has found work-life balance serving her community at a council roughly the size of Switzerland. 

EPW: Tell us about yourself: where are you from, what are your interests, what makes you tick?
BB: I grew up on a sheep and cattle property and attended boarding school, and later spent a gap year travelling overseas. I'd intended to study medicine but had a late change to civil engineering.
I love to travel and have been fortunate enough to have explored a large chunk of Australia and the UK. I love playing and coaching sport, particularly netball, running and bike rides with the family as well as being part of the local community.
I enjoy being busy and regularly have 'projects', with my husband and I renovating houses outside of work.

EPW: Summarise your career path so far.
BB: I've been working in the civil construction industry for 14 years. I commenced as a site/graduate engineer for a civil construction company in Dalby and progressed to a project engineer, senior project engineer and later project manager over an eight-year period. I spent two years in Karratha (North West Western Australia) as a project manager delivering remote civil construction projects for the mining and gas industries. I transitioned across from private industry to public works in 2016, when a project manager/technical officer position was available at Western Downs Regional Council, and later the Works Manager – Construction role, and now as the Senior Works Manager.

EPW: What’s been your most significant career highlight to date?
BB: My most significant career highlight is that I have been fortunate enough to have worked on a plethora of projects across both Queensland and Western Australia in a relatively short period. A snapshot of the types of projects I've delivered includes:

• Residential, rural residential and industrial subdivisions in Dalby and Toowoomba, Qld
• Feedlot expansions projects at Aubigny, Bowenville, Condamine and Chinchilla, Qld
• Power substation projects in Brisbane, Gympie and Biggenden Qld and Cape Preston and Dampier WA
• A creek diversion through Curragh Coal Mine at Blackwater, Qld
• Gas Compression Station works for Apache Energy at Fortescue, WA
• Construction of Workers Camp Accommodation Villages at Devils Ck, WA and Miles, Qld
• Civil Construction works on Rio Tinto's Iron Ore Railway Infrastructure including flood damage to rail bridges following Tropical Cyclones, Pilbara WA
• Construction of Town Swimming Pool for Rio Tinto's closed town of Pannawonica, WA
• Civil Concrete Structures for Rio Tinto for rail and port facilities at Cape Lambert, WA and Sino Iron at Cape Preston, WA
• Construction of a sea wall under live operations for Ro Tinto Dampier Salt
• Construction of 12 evaporation and detention dams across the Western Downs for gas industry (QGC, Origin, APLNG, Arrow Energy and Santos. These involved significant bulk earthworks, leak detections systems as well as multilayer HDPE liner systems
• DMTR road construction across Qld
• Construction of upgrades and reconstructions of roads, bridges and footpaths for Western Downs Regional Council
• Asset management for WDRC's transport infrastructure and fleet and workshop management

EPW: What do you find most satisfying about what you do?
BB: The most satisfying part of working as an engineer in public works is that every project has a day-to-day direct positive impact on the community. The value for money services result in effective asset management and upgrades that improve the liveability and connectivity of the residents and their communities.

EPW: Can you tell us about how you balance work/life commitments?
BB: For me, the biggest factors in balancing work/life commitments is the passion that I feel for both work and for my family – I'm at my best with a strong combination of the two.

With three small children at home, I feel extremely fortunate to be able to balance my work and family commitments with what suits my own family dynamic. WDRC supports me with this by offering flexible working arrangements.

EPW: What do you appreciate most about your involvement with IPWEAQ?
BB: I appreciate the technical courses and forums IPWEAQ facilitate as well as the networking opportunities with peers and colleagues in public works. IPWEAQ encourages collaboration between entities.

EPW: What would be the one piece of advice you would give to others early in their career?
BB: Keep challenging yourself – push yourself outside of your comfort zone and keep learning, that’s the only way to continue to expand on your skill set.
Never underestimate the depth of knowledge and experience of the works crews, supervisors and co-ordinators. The wisdom they share with you will ultimately result in you being able to provide and apply practical solutions.