What's your job about?
The Public Transport Authority (PTA) provides essential train and bus services for the Perth metro and regional regions. My area of responsibility revolves around maintaining the trains to ensure they remain in top quality for our passengers and the WA public. Our branch looks after the electric trains that operate around Perth and the diesel trains that go to Kalgoorlie and Bunbury.
On a daily basis, I write technical documentation such as recommendation reports for the engineering team or maintenance instructions for the depot. I also am the rollingstock lead representative for the wheel-rail interface project which involves testing a new train wheel to improve performance and reduce wear. There is so much to think about when trialling a new train wheel! I am also in charge of the new onboard automated messages for the recently opened Perth Airport Line. Fun fact, there are over 330 unique audio messages stored onboard a train to announce the arrival of every station!
A typical day consists of a few meetings, some calculations, report writing, and attending training courses. Having a variety of work ensures that every day is different with new problems to be solved and challenges overcome. The PTA is great in forming graduates into well-rounded industry professionals through a range of training courses.
What's your background?
My parents are from Belgium and migrated to Australia a year before my birth. I was born in Brisbane and grew up in Townsville, Darwin, Karratha, and Perth (for high school). My dad worked in construction, so we moved a fair bit when I was young. During uni I was fortunate to get engineering experience in mining, healthcare and automation. I joined the PTA as a vacation student in my penultimate year and continued part-time throughout the year. My passion for public transportation and serving the people of Western Australia grew phenomenally during this time. The culture in the PTA was inclusive and the work stimulating. I started to fall in love with the railways. I was then accepted into the graduate program and have enjoyed it ever since! In total, I have been at the PTA for two years and look forward to continuing making a difference in the community. It fills me with pride that the work I do and team around me serve the public to provide an essential service and improve the environment.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
My job requires someone who is open minded, likes to tackle challenges, has initiative and is ambitious to learn. There are many things that happen behind the scenes in a railway requiring people who are willing to embrace the unexpected and give it a go. An engineering degree is required to be part of the engineering team.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
I love that my job is both challenging and rewarding. No two days are alike, requiring me to adapt and innovate. I enjoy meeting with different teams and coming up with a solution that works for everyone. After a long day a work, the most rewarding thing is catching the train home and seeing my projects being implemented and the happy faces of passengers. Every time I pass the new airport station I think of the new automated messages that are now installed on the whole fleet! How cool is it to actually make a difference that impacts thousands of people every day?
What are the limitations of your job?
My job requires difficult decision-making. Sometimes I have to stay back after hours to ensure I can complete my tasks. There is often not much time to relax or cruise through the day which can be exhausting. This is not an easy 9 to 5 job and the remuneration does not match the private sector. Those who are driven by money or would like an easy job should look elsewhere. Those who would like to improve the lives of the community by making a difference and being part of a supportive team with meaningful and challenging projects will thrive.
3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...
My best experience at university was going on an exchange to Malaysia for a semester at the start of my second year. It was incredible living and studying in a foreign country. I would tell myself to apply for another exchange program and fit two during my time when I was a student (another in my third year second semester for example)!
Another bit of advice I would give myself is to take every opportunity out there. The campus has lots of free events, and industry organisations often host networking events. These are great to meet new people and learn about things non-course related building those soft skills.
Lastly, when things don’t quite go to plan its easy to give up and do something else. I would recommend to keep having a go and bounce back from brick walls put in your way!