Manu Singh – Site Engineer BMD (WA)

At BMD, our business is our people, and we genuinely believe it is our family orientated culture that sets us apart and makes our business a great place to work. 

The inclusion of women in the construction and engineering industry is a key priority for our business. We’re committed to driving positive change by creating an inclusive environment that embraces equity and diversity and provides our people with the best opportunities to thrive. 

This International Women in Engineering Day provides a timely opportunity to celebrate BMD’s women in engineering and learn more about their career journey as we head towards our collective goal to bring more women into construction. 

As an engineer at BMD, my role is…

I am a Site Engineer currently working with the Tonkin Gap Alliance in WA. As a Site Engineer, I have several duties, including reviewing and maintaining drawings, project specifications, quality assurances, QH&S and environmental requirements, subcontractor management, developing work method statements, testing requirements for various materials, raising RFIs for any design changes required, daily project planning and much more! 

What was your journey to becoming an engineer? 

From a young age I was fascinated by big skyscrapers, bridges, and tall buildings. As I grew older, I realised that my passion for creating and shaping the physical work could be achieved through a career in civil engineering. But it was not an easy decision to take as I noticed there was hardly any women in and around construction sites back in India where I grew up. 

This was a bit of a challenge, but when I proposed the idea of doing civil engineering to my parents, they were extremely supportive and happy that I would be part of making a change to the stereotypes and pave the way for future generations of women to pursue their dreams, regardless of societal expectations. 

To me, becoming a civil engineer is not just a career choice; it is a statement of empowerment, resilience and determination to pursue my dreams and not let the challenges and societal expectation get in the way of that. 

From there, I did a Bachelor of Engineering in India before moving to Australia to do my Masters in Engineering Management in Melbourne, which I completed in 2020. I have been working with BMD since 2021 where I first started as a graduate. 

Have you faced any unique challenges as a woman in engineering?

While my career is still young, I have always been surrounded by the most supportive people at BMD who have helped me every step of the way. Any challenge I have faced, we have all dealt with it together.  

In your experience, how does BMD support women in technical roles like engineering? 

BMD has always created a supportive environment around me. Even after moving to Western Australia, I can always reach out to the people based in Victoria for guidance and support.

What do you do as part of your role to make working environments safer?

For me, it’s about upcycling materials where possible and working in with the environment team as required to ensure we are always making sustainable choices on our projects.  As a site engineer, I regularly review Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) cards of our subcontractors, identify and address any unsafe practices or deviations from approved work method statements and encourage open communication among workers regarding safety concerns. I also make sure I raise any near misses, accidents, safety incidentsand review it with safety team. My approach towards making safe environment to work is to prioritise safety and maintain proactive approach to mitigate any potential risks. 

Do you have any advice for other women who are considering becoming an engineer? 

Just follow your dreams. There will always be people surrounding you that can support this, just remain determined and keep working towards what you want.