Most Recent

From Earthquake Inspiration to Community Impact with Shraddha Dhungel

By YIPWEA Blogs posted 10 days ago
Finding Purpose Through Tragedy Shraddha's path to engineering began with one of Nepal's most devastating natural disasters. "We had a big earthquake back in 2015," she recalls. "We just saw buildings left, right and centre just destroyed. But then there was like a beautiful thing that came out of it - all the community got together, and you could see how it was basically the engineers, architects, and planners, working together to build the ...
0 comments

Project Spotlight: The Hurst Street Wombat Crossing

By YIPWEA Blogs posted 19 days ago
Project Overview  Hurst Street Wombat Crossing | Hurst Street, Tasmania   This project involved the design and construction of a wombat crossing (a raised zebra crossing) on Hurst Street, connecting a childcare centre on the northern side of the road with a primary school and bus stop on the southern side.   The crossing was initiated following concerns raised by the childcare centre, whose staff regularly escort young children (including ...
0 comments

Building Infrastructure Legacies Beyond the Final Whistle

By YIPWEA Blogs posted 23-07-2026
When a city wins the right to host a major sporting event, the headlines often focus on economic boosts, global exposure and world-class competition. However, history shows that the real measure of success often comes long after the medals have been awarded. Today, a significant challenge is whether the infrastructure built for these events will continue to provide value to the community in the future.    As Australia prepares for the Brisbane ...
0 comments

Building Bridges and Breaking Barriers with Darcie Holmes-Smith

By YIPWEA Blogs posted 09-07-2026
From Carpenter to Project Engineer Darcie's path began at 16 when she left school after Year 10, originally wanting to become a diesel mechanic. Instead, she became the first female apprentice bridge and wharf carpenter with Roads and Maritime Services NSW. "I was walking into an all-male crew. They all thought I was a bit of a princess at the time," Darcie recalls. That changed on her first day doing formwork: "I belted my finger and ...
0 comments

The Engineering Pipeline Leak: Mentoring Graduates for Lifelong Careers

By YIPWEA Blogs posted 26-06-2026
Australia and New Zealand’s infrastructure plans are ambitious. Australia currently has $230 billion in planned, committed, or in-progress public infrastructure projects, and a similar pipeline is projected in New Zealand. However, both countries are facing ongoing challenges when it comes to workforce capacity. According to  Professionals Australia , we’re experiencing a growing crisis when it comes to a shortage of engineering skills in the ...
0 comments

Inspiring Students: University of Canterbury STEM Careers Day Recap

By YIPWEA Blogs posted 04-06-2026
By Tom Crozier, Chair of Young IPWEA Aotearoa As Chair of Young IPWEA Aotearoa, I had the privilege of attending the University of Canterbury STEM Careers Day alongside Steve Mooney, Country Head for IPWEA Aotearoa. The event provided an excellent platform to connect with students, promote the infrastructure and public works engineering profession, whilst raising awareness of the diverse career pathways available within our sector. ...
0 comments

Aaron MacNish’s Mission to Elevate Local Government Engineering

By YIPWEA Blogs posted 22-05-2026
For Aaron MacNish, the path to public works began with a desire for a practical, hands-on career. Growing up on a farm, he was interested in how things work and was naturally drawn to STEM subjects, and this ultimately led him into the world of civil engineering. While Aaron has spent time in and out of the public sector (including a stint in consulting) he eventually returned to local government, where he has remained for the last 5 years. ...
0 comments

The Fuel Crisis and Fleets: How are Local Government Responding

By YIPWEA Blogs posted 23-04-2026
Over the past 7 weeks, countries across the world have been grappling with a severe global fuel crisis. Following the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz in early March this year, which typically handles approximately 20% of the world’s oil supply, Australia and New Zealand have seen significant spike in fuel prices. The blockade has stranded millions of barrels of crude oil and has created what the International Energy Agency has described ...
0 comments

Unstable Ground: Navigating Compounding Climate Disasters and Infrastructure Resilience

By YIPWEA Blogs posted 10-04-2026
Globally, we are seeing an increase in extreme weather events. From torrential rain to catastrophic wildfires, what were once “unprecedented” events or statistical anomalies are now becoming a regular feature of our annual weather cycle.   For every 1°C of warming, the air holds approximately 7% more moisture. This has resulted in more intense and frequent weather events including floods, heatwaves, and fires, and has fundamentally changed ...
0 comments

Greener, Smarter, and Better Connected: Recapping the YIPWEA x TPA Lawn Bowls Event

By YIPWEA Blogs posted 08-04-2026
The annual YIPWEA x Transport Professionals Association Lawn Bowls event was recently held at Torrensville Bowls Club, bringing together a diverse group of professionals from local government, state government, and private consultancies. The event provided a valuable opportunity to connect across sectors in a relaxed setting, while also engaging with a series of informative and relevant presentations. For many attendees, the venue was a new experience ...
0 comments

Building Climate-Resilient Communities: Engineers are Leading the Charge

By Emma Rusiti posted 11-03-2026
Climate change isn't a distant threat. It's reshaping how we design, build, and maintain public infrastructure right now. From unprecedented flooding events to record-breaking heatwaves, Australian and New Zealand communities are experiencing the impacts firsthand.    But here's the inspiring part: innovative engineers and public works professionals are developing groundbreaking solutions that transform climate challenges into opportunities ...
0 comments

Rising Tides, Receding Shores, and the Infrastructure Challenge

By YIPWEA Blogs posted 24-02-2026
Local councils across Australia and New Zealand are increasingly facing the problem of coastal erosion and land instability from rising sea levels. What was once a rare event, has evolved into a persistent trend that will likely continue to accelerate in coming decades.  The scale of this challenge and the impact on local infrastructure can be seen in coastal areas across Australia and New Zealand. Between 2020 and 2025, the New South Wales ...
0 comments

Global Innovations, Local Applications: International Engineering Projects That Inspire

By YIPWEA Blogs posted 16-09-2025
Innovation knows no borders. Around the world, engineers are developing groundbreaking solutions to challenges that Australian and New Zealand communities face every day. From Copenhagen's revolutionary cycling infrastructure to Singapore's cutting-edge water management systems, international projects offer a treasure trove of ideas that can be adapted for our unique contexts. As young professionals, we have the opportunity to learn from global ...
0 comments

Council’s ‘Girls in Civil’ Program Builds Pipeline for Female Engineers

By YIPWEA Blogs posted 21-08-2025
When Armidale Regional Council was having difficulty recruiting for positions a few years ago there was one factor which stood out for Erin Smidt and her colleagues in the human resources area. “A lot of the roles we were recruiting for were for roles which have been traditionally dominated by men,” says Smidt, the Senior People & Culture Business Partner at the council. “So we put our heads together and thought ‘how do we fix ...
0 comments

Digital-Ready: The Skills Every Young Public Works Professional Needs

By YIPWEA Blogs posted 21-08-2025
As public works rapidly evolves, digital fluency is no longer optional, it’s essential. From GIS platforms and IoT sensors to data analytics and cloud collaboration tools, the infrastructure sector is being reshaped by technology. For young professionals, this shift presents a unique opportunity: to step up, skill up, and lead the transformation. By developing key technical competencies, embracing change management, and bridging generational knowledge ...
0 comments

From Graduate to Leader: Navigating Your Public Works Career Journey

By YIPWEA Blogs posted 21-08-2025
Starting your career in public works engineering can feel overwhelming. One day you are completing your final university assignment, and the next you are responsible for infrastructure that serves thousands of community members. Every leader in our industry has walked this same path, and with the right approach you can navigate it successfully too. The Early Years: Building Your Foundation (Years 0–2) Embrace the learning curve Your first ...
0 comments