Always A Mater Girl

Georgina is grateful for the academic challenges and opportunities for personal growth she received at Mater Christi and particularly enjoyed the Sciences, Art and RE.

“I particularly enjoyed Biology, Physics, and Art. Each of my teachers made these subjects engaging, and doing Art balanced out all the Maths and Science. I was constantly challenged academically, which is great because you can only grow by doing things that are a little bit outside your comfort zone.”

RE was delivered in a way that instilled values in our everyday lives. We explored what it meant to be human, what it meant to go through hard times, and what it took to be a good friend.”

Not everyone knows exactly what they want to do when they finish Year 12, and Georgina was no exception. However, she was keen to start her journey, so when her best friend enrolled in Engineering at Monash University, Georgina decided to do the same, choosing Civil Engineering for its variety and broad application.

After graduating with honours in 1993, Georgina found herself in the middle of a severe recession, with many students finding it difficult to secure a job.

Luckily, a work experience placement at Barwon Water Authority in the last year of her degree led to Georgina being offered a position in the urban maintenance branch, where she gained knowledge of water supply and sewerage systems.

Thirty years later, Georgina has enjoyed a varied career within the engineering and construction industry, working in consultancies and construction companies, and running her own small business for a time.

Georgina’s expertise has allowed her to live and work in different parts of Australia and overseas on diverse projects, including water treatment, pipelines, railways, roads, waste management, airports, and buildings.

“I’ve worked in Thailand, England, France, Spain, the Czech Republic, and the United Arab Emirates. A career in Engineering can take you anywhere!”

Georgina thoroughly enjoys the fast pace and challenge her work provides, even after 30 years in the industry.

“Things move quickly on site, and there’s always an issue that we must come together to solve effectively. Even after 30 years, I’m still learning.”

Proud to have succeeded in a traditionally male-dominated sector, Georgina says there are many more opportunities for women in construction today.

“I’m currently working on railway projects. Our overall delivery team is around one-third women, and our commercial team is around 60% - a great example of how much the industry is changing.”  

GET IN THERE GIRLS!

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