Tonkin's people centric culture

We asked Andrew to share why he decided to join Tonkin and how his first few years with the company have played out.

“I’ve been with Tonkin for almost three years now, and I chose to work here because of the culture and the people. The people here are open and accepting and when it comes to working on projects together, we collaborate very well with each other.”

“A typical day in my role as a Principal Engineer involves getting in touch with the client and understanding project requirements, as well as teaching, coaching and mentoring our more junior staff.

“I really value the people side of things and Tonkin is a company that heavily promotes that. It’s what differentiates Tonkin from other companies I’ve worked with in the past. Tonkin is a fun place to work – we take our work seriously, but we like to socialise as well. Every now and again we go out for lunch or other activities, for example, recently went go carting. It’s good for team building and helps us work better together.”
 

Sustainability in structural engineering

With his background in structural engineering, Andrew’s skillset was a perfect fit for Tonkin’s Sydney office, where we have a team of structural engineers with many decades of combined experience. We asked Andrew what type of projects he enjoys working on most.

“The projects that get me the most excited are apartment buildings, hospitals, bridges and other civil structures, but in particular, I like working on multistorey buildings. There’s nothing better than being able to design and start a project and be able to finish it off and see the end product built. Going through the project lifecycle is part and parcel of being an engineer, but going the extra mile, remaining engaged and providing exceptional service to clients throughout the whole project is what makes a great engineer.”

With a growing population, the need for new infrastructure across Sydney and NSW is only set to increase. Engineers have an important role to play in helping lead change that will support a sustainable future as our human-built environment continues to expand. We asked Andrew about the role of sustainability in his projects.

“Our current materials, design and philosophy all have elements of sustainability. What we’re trying to focus on in the coming years is to be more conscious on the use of materials. For example, when we’re designing concrete and steel structures, we try to limit amount of material usage and use other materials, like timber, more in our projects, as well as educate our clients at the same time.”
 

We wrapped up by asking Andrew what he would say if someone asked him why they should come work at Tonkin.

“If you’re an engineer looking for a change, it’s worth exploring if Tonkin could be a good fit for you - not only because we have great projects to offer, we also have a great culture which is driven by our leadership team who care about staff’s mental health and wellbeing.”
 

Are you a senior structural engineer interested in furthering your career at Tonkin, like Andrew?
View our current vacancies or submit a general expression of interest today.