Why commissioning?
Commissioning is something I fell into right out of high school. I wasn’t seeking it out but it found me. I quickly took to it and found it very rewarding. I have a passion for understanding how things work and how they can be improved.
In my late 20s, I went into carpentry and woodworking for a number of years. It was something I did in high school and I found it rewarding, especially working with my hands and being creative. When I came to Australia, I once again found myself in commissioning with a new passion for it.
What’s a commissioning myth you’d like to debunk?
The ‘anyone can do it’ mentality. Commissioning takes a specific mentality, personality and skill set that includes a technically sound, scientific and approach.
What do you do outside of work that helps fuel your creativity and commitment to engineering?
I have my little wood shop in my garage where I can do my hands-on creative projects. It still has the aspect of creativity, problem solving and working with my hands that I have in commissioning but I see the results in a different way.
What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned at ECS?
How to be a consultant including understanding how I present myself to clients. I’ve learned the value of my input.
What professional relationships do you value the most?
Relationships which value and respect what each other has to offer are more valuable to me than making money. They’ll outlive any other.
What does Making Spaces Work mean to you?
It means focusing on the specific building I’m working on as being the my main objective. Commercial and contractual requirements may get in the way but they won’t stop me from wanting what’s best for the building and the services involved.
