Chasing Waves from Perth to Melbourne—Secondment Stories of WGA

#Placetobe#Secondments

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. For Robert Audino, a Civil engineer based in Perth, that step truly took him thousands of miles away, to WGA’s Melbourne office!  

Robert had worked across a variety of sectors, but one area stood out as a growing passion. “As I spent more time in the energy sector, I became increasingly interested in rural hydrology and flood modelling—fields that were becoming vital to our projects,” he shared. 

Driven by a desire to gain deeper technical expertise in this sector, Robert saw a secondment with the hydrology team as the perfect next step in his career. 

Robert Audino Secondment Melbourne

“I chose Melbourne as my preferred location because WGA’s Flood Modelling team is located there, and I’ve always wanted to experience the food, nature, culture, art and entertainment in Victoria.” 

Navigating Melbourne Waters  

Working in Melbourne allowed Rob a gateway to work on a variety of flood modelling projects across the Energy and Maritime markets– from small desktop studies to large-scale flood models for wind farms covering areas greater than 300 km². His work on these initiatives has enabled WGA to contribute to the flood modelling for several emerging wind farm projects in Western Australia.

“My three-month secondment in Melbourne gave me the opportunity to deepen my skills in flood modelling and drainage, while pushing me outside my comfort zone,” Rob reflects. “The experience not only expanded my technical knowledge, but also helped me become more adaptable, confident, and resilient—both professionally and personally.” 

 

 

Robert’s Highlights of Adelaide

Robert Audino Secondment Melbourne | Corporate Triathlon
“One of the highlights for me was joining the Corporate Triathlon with the Melbourne team. It was one of my first weekends in the city and an excellent opportunity to socialise and connect with some of the team members.”
  • Gaining technical expertise through a variety of Flood Modelling projects across the energy and maritime sectors
  • Exploring Melbourne’s diverse culinary scene and the experience of trying a variety of cuisines from all around the world
  • Soaking up all the experiences the city had to offer—from Formula 1 and AFL games to scenic weekend getaways to the Dandenong Ranges, 12 Apostles, or hopping aboard the iconic Puffing Billy Rail. 

Top Tips for Secondment Seekers

If you aspire to take on a similar opportunity and opt for a secondment, here are some tips from Tom to help you get started: 

  1. Do your research – Learn more about the destination and the team you’ll be working with ahead of time to make the most of your experience both professionally and personally.
  2. Plan your downtime – There’s so much to explore and enjoy outside of work, so make sure you make the most of your evenings, weekends and holidays!
  3. Say yes and embrace it – just take the leap and fully embrace the opportunity, challenges, and the adventure a secondment offers.

Where to Next?

“Brisbane or Adelaide! There is still a lot for me to learn in the flooding/drainage space as the knowledge, conditions and standards vary so much in every state, and it would be good to develop professional connections with other engineers in these areas. There’s also so much to explore these cities and experience that just can’t be found anywhere else in the world!”