By Tom Crozier, Chair of Young IPWEA Aotearoa
As Chair of Young IPWEA Aotearoa, I had the privilege of attending the University of Canterbury STEM Careers Day alongside Steve Mooney, Country Head for IPWEA Aotearoa. The event provided an excellent platform to connect with students, promote the infrastructure and public works engineering profession, whilst raising awareness of the diverse career pathways available within our sector.
The Careers Day brought together a wide range of students from engineering, science, and other related disciplines, all exploring potential career opportunities and seeking insights into industry expectations. The event was well attended and demonstrated strong engagement from students eager to understand how their studies can translate into post study impact.
The event provided an invaluable opportunity to connect with students and engage in meaningful conversations about the public works sector. We discussed the pivotal role of IPWEA and the benefits of membership, as well as the evolving future of infrastructure asset management.
Many discussions also centred on career pathways into infrastructure and local government, opportunities for graduates and the importance of resilience and sustainability in New Zealand’s infrastructure future. There was strong interest into how infrastructure professionals contribute to community wellbeing and planning, showing an awareness among students of the broader impact of the sector.
A key focus was raising awareness of Young IPWEA and the value it provides to early-career professionals:
- Networking opportunities across the industry
- Professional development resources and events
- Mentorship and peer support
- Pathways to becoming actively involved in IPWEA
Encouragingly, many students expressed interest in staying connected, joining and engaging with the organisation as they transition into the workforce.
The event reinforced the importance of early engagement with students to build awareness of the infrastructure sector and its opportunities. It also highlighted the value of having both emerging professionals and senior leadership present to give both perspectives on career development and industry direction. Attending alongside Steve Mooney enabled us to show both the strategic leadership of IPWEA Aotearoa and the role YIPWEA plays in supporting the next generation.
From this event we see the value in participating in university outreach initiatives like this, particularly as demand for skilled infrastructure professionals continues to grow across Aotearoa. We look forward to continuing these conversations with those who we connected with and who signed up, along with supporting these future professionals as they embark on careers in this vital sector.