Arup

Nila is a Graduate Engineer in our buildings team in Singapore. She is working on some of Southeast Asia’s largest data centre projects and learning new skills along the way. Learn more about Nila and how she wants to shape a more sustainable built environment.

What did you study and where?

I studied Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering at the National University of Singapore

Why did you choose the Arup graduate programme?

During university, I attended at graduate recruitment talk from Arup to understand the firm’s disciplines. It gave me an opportunity to talk to some of the leaders and one thing became clear quickly: total architecture is a key philosophy in the firm’s designs. I realised Arup would be the right place to start my career with so many opportunities to learn from different disciplines.

What do you get up to in your day-to-day role?

I work in the Buildings Structures team in Singapore, and I have worked on a variety of projects, including Singapore’s Changi Airport, data centres, industrial factories, and infrastructure and railways. We approach every project differently and this constantly pushes me out of my comfort zone. Every day is different as I get to do a mix of design work, site visits and working with clients. My team is supportive and encourages me to expand my skills and experiences. 

What has been your most enjoyable moment/project so far?

When I started working on data centre projects, my leaders encouraged me to learn a new skill – computational fluid dynamics. It was challenging at first, but it has become one of my favourite moments of the graduate development programme. I get to validate the designs I have been working and provide clients with valuable feedback. The technologies used in data centres are constantly evolving, and this challenged me to rethink designs and strengthen my technical skills. As I was upskilling, I could approach anyone from across the globe, and they were always willing to share their knowledge readily. This experience has made me appreciate the strong global network we have.

“I want to create a positive impact on the world, and the buildings team gives me the most practical way of achieving this.”

What are your future aspirations?

Tom is a Graduate Engineer working in our digital team in Sydney. He has a strong social conscience which gives him drive to deliver critical infrastructure and look for greater outcomes in his day-to-day role. Learn more about Tom’s graduate experience and how he is using his digital skills to transform Sydney.

What did you study and where? ​

I studied a Bachelor of Construction and Project Management at the University of Technology Sydney.

What do you get up to in your day-to-day role? 

I work as a digital engineer supporting the delivery of major infrastructure projects in Australia helping shape how people move in cities and regional areas. I am lucky to have flexibility and autonomy to balance the time I dedicate to project delivery and personal activities. The people at Arup are the best thing about coming to work every day. My team is passionate, supportive, and fun – I could not have asked for a better group of people to learn from and work beside. Arup is a social place to work, and I really enjoy getting to know people from across the office and having genuine and fun conversations.

“What first stood out to me was Arup’s reputation for excellence and delivering iconic projects across the world. I was excited for the opportunity to be part of and learn from the teams designing these projects.”

Why did you choose the Arup graduate programme?

What first stood out to me was Arup’s reputation for excellence and delivering iconic projects across the world. I was excited for the opportunity to be part of and learn from the teams designing these projects. After meeting some of Arup’s people at university and industry events I was impressed by how genuinely they talked about the firm and its social values. I’ve had a strong interest in pursuing a career in digital engineering since university. When I was researching firms Arup’s digital engineering team was the most experienced and well-established – not all firms have the same calibre of digital capability.

What has been your most enjoyable moment/project so far?

Working as the Project Manager to support Arup’s relationship with Engineering Aid Australia (EAA) is one of the most enjoyable roles I’ve worked in during my time in the graduate programme. EAA is a not-for-profit organisation inspiring and supporting Indigenous high school students to become professional engineers. I have hosted and organised multiple design challenges for the Indigenous Australian Engineering School – a weeklong programme run by EAA. Students from across New South Wales and our people worked collaboratively and creatively to solve the challenge. Managing this relationship gives me the opportunity to show students what working in engineering can offer in a professional, personal, and societal capacity. It also shakes up my day-to-day by working on something different from digital engineering.

Another project I have really enjoyed is Sydney Metro – Australia’s biggest public transport project. The size of the project is enormous and has provided some interesting opportunities to think about the best way to integrate digital engineering initiatives on such a scale. I have also had the opportunity to work alongside and learn from incredible engineers with many years of experience in the process. It’s exciting to use my digital engineering skills on a city-shaping project, transforming connectivity and benefitting the lives of people across Greater Sydney.

What are your future aspirations?

From where I stand now, I can see so many opportunities to come in a career at Arup. I would like to work overseas and take advantage of Arup’s long term assignment programme, experience of working in a different country, meeting people from around the world and developing my understanding of different cultures. If in the future I could continue working alongside people who are as supportive, passionate, and generous with their time as my current team, and on interesting projects, then I would be happy with my career.