Aimee Clark

Degree/qualifications

Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, Master of Environment and Sustainability

Region

Southern

What are you passionate about?

I have always been passionate about the environment and sustainability, with a particular interest in understanding how we can enact meaningful change on environmental issues. There is a lot to learn from integrating different perspectives, and I enjoy being a part of improving critical understandings of issues such as climate change, pollution reduction and natural resource management. More recently, through university, I have become interested in the Sustainable Development Goals and the pursuit of a green economy.

Why did you join ACCIONA?

I was drawn to ACCIONA as it’s a leader in sustainable solutions, allowing me to gain hands-on experience in my field of interest and consolidate my learnings from university. In addition, ACCIONA and the grad program will enable me to improve the relationship between people and the environment, an area I am passionate about that aligns with my values.

What does the future look like in construction and how will you drive this in your career?

With a growing population, large-scale infrastructure projects such as those ACCIONA works on must put sustainability at the forefront to ensure the best economic, social and environmental outcomes can be achieved. By bringing people along the sustainability journey, it reinforces that there can still be growth without threats to the environment. I want to help individuals and larger companies reduce their environmental impact by assisting them to adopt sustainable practices and recognise that every action plays a part in protecting the environment for current and future generations.

What do you enjoy doing outside work?

Beyond work, I enjoy getting outside, whether that be through netball, touch rugby or bushwalking. I also enjoy travelling, spending time with friends and improving my Indonesian language skills.

Adam Shilliday

Degree/qualifications

I studied for a Bachelor of Sustainable Systems Engineering (Honours) and a Bachelor of Business Management at RMIT University.

Region

I am currently working on AWP3 based in Greensborough while also visiting the Montmorency, Diamond Creek and Hurstbridge sites.

What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about giving my all to things and ensuring I don’t regret not trying something or fully committing to it.

Why did you join ACCIONA?

I joined ACCIONA to have the opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge I have learned throughout university to projects with a large focus on sustainability and the environment. Having these key values within ACCIONA was a big attraction.

What does the future look like in construction and how will you drive this in your career?

I plan to continue my sustainability and environment journey with ACCIONA to develop my skills further and increase my industry experience. In addition, I aim to involve myself and develop within a wide variety of projects to gain a more complete understanding of the influence Sustainability and the Environment has on the development and design of projects.

What do you enjoy doing outside work?

Outside work, I enjoy travelling when and where I can, riding my bike, and hanging out with my mates.

Thea Dudgeon

Degree/qualifications

Bachelor of Science, majoring in environment and sustainability.

Region

Qld – MacIntyre Wind Farm

What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about finding more sustainable and environmentally friendly ways to live my everyday life.

Why did you join ACCIONA?

I started applying for graduate programs last year and came across the Acciona program and was really interested in the company’s values and sustainability-focused mindset, so I applied.

What does the future look like in construction and how will you drive this in your career?

The construction industry’s future is turning towards renewable energy and more sustainable options, which I’ve seen here at MacIntyre.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I love food, and one of my favourite pass times is cooking and baking for my friends and family; I even have an Instagram page for it!

Lucy Tulloch

Degree/qualifications

Bachelor of Science, Honours. Undergrad Major: Geography, Honours Major: Climate Science.

Region

NSW

What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about making a difference in the future of the environment and society. I also care deeply about endangered species conservation.

Why did you join ACCIONA?

ACCIONA’s core focus on sustainable infrastructure inspires me. It encourages me that there are companies in Australia that take the challenges that face us today in their stride and aim to provide solutions to complex problems. I joined ACCIONA to be a part of that effort, gain invaluable experience, and learn from some of Australia’s leaders in sustainable development.

What does the future look like in construction and how will you drive this in your career?

The future of construction is to lead the way for other industries as we address some of the present and future challenges of climate change and an evolving society. The infrastructure business has already significantly contributed to developing various sustainable energy projects in Australia. From my background in environmental science, I will strive to further this move towards sustainable infrastructure by applying my knowledge and working with the experts in the industry to identify and develop projects that will have a positive impact on the community and the environment not only in the near future but also on a long-term scale. I plan to grow in my role at ACCIONA and expand my skills to achieve this goal.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I enjoy practising electric guitar and bush walks with friends and family. I also enjoy continuing my Japanese language studies.

Riley Corby

Degree/qualifications

Bachelor of Environmental Engineering (Honours) from the University of Wollongong.

Region

NSW

What are you passionate about

I am passionate about protecting the environment and working on sustainable alternatives so that future generations can enjoy the planet as I have.

Why did you join ACCIONA?

I joined Acciona because many of the company’s environmental protection and sustainability values align with mine. So I want to help make a difference at Acciona and join a new generation of workers who prioritise a positive impact on the world about the environment and sustainability.

What does the future look like in construction and how will you drive this in your career?

The future of construction looks safer and healthy for workers and the environment. As an environmental engineer, I will use my passion for environmental protection and sustainability to ensure that this is the outcome of the projects that I work on.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

Outside work, I enjoy going for walks with my mates to explore waterfalls, rainforests, and other natural pathways around the Illawarra region.

Amelia Goonerage

Degree/qualifications

Bachelor of International Relations & Politics and German Studies, Master of Environment

Region

Southern Region (Victoria), currently with the corporate team and Plant department

What are you passionate about?

I’ve always been very involved in activism and social justice movements, which brought me to climate action, as, in my view, this is the greatest threat to human wellbeing we have faced as a society. Because of that, I’m very passionate about climate action and try to support it in both work and my personal life.

Why did you join ACCIONA?

ACCIONA seemed very motivated in the climate space, and I had heard from friends in sustainability who had worked with the business that ACCIONA seemed very authentic in its values. The scale of ACCIONA’s business and its values presented an opportunity to make a difference and achieve real climate action.

What does the future look like in construction and how will you drive this in your career?

The construction world is in for a significant transformation around how we think about materials and how infrastructure impacts nature. Infrastructure’s role currently supports societies and economies but struggles with protecting and fortifying the ecosystems we depend on.

Rather than minimising damage, I look forward to a future where infrastructure strengthens natural systems. I think this will drive me to seek out innovative and creative partnerships inside the business and with changemakers outside ACCIONA to make the ideas that seem crazy now into how we do business, changing how we relate to the planet.

What do you enjoy doing outside work?

Outside of work, I am also a musician! I play in a band and solo from time to time, as well as in other musical projects. I play and rehearse often, which takes up most of my time outside work!

Hannah Willoch

Degree/qualifications

Bachelor of Environmental Engineering (Honours)

Region

Sydney, on Western Harbour Tunnel

What are you passionate about?

Given that my generation grew up in the years of the Inconvenient Truth, David Attenborough documentaries, and heartbreaking photos of polar bears on melting ice caps, it makes sense that so many of us are passionate about the environment & sustainability. I gained a passion for biodiversity and the protection of endangered species, which pushed me to choose a career in which I could help drive change. As we find ourselves on the precipice of the sixth mass extinction event (and the first one caused by human impacts), I’m passionate about finding ways for our industries to adapt to prevent the catastrophic effects of mass biodiversity loss and climate change.

Why did you join ACCIONA?

ACCIONA stood out in an industry where it is still too familiar for environmental professionals to fill positions to tick boxes. I distinctly remember being told in my interview that the Construction group is barred from bidding on projects that go against ACCIONA’s sustainability values, such as fossil fuel power plants. I knew then that I had found a company that shared my passion that would not ask me to compromise my values for their economic benefit.

What does the future look like in construction and how will you drive this in your career?

It is clear that infrastructure development is critical in ensuring our societies’ economic and social development and that the construction industry is still going strong for a while. However, projects like the Western Harbour Tunnel represent a shift in the industry as we start to think outside the box and prioritise sustainability. Our original design, the immersed tube tunnel (IMT), would involve large-scale trenching of Sydney Harbour, mobilising decades of contaminant build and causing large-scale overwater disruption in the community. Our tender team proposed an alternative using tunnel boring machines, bypassing these impacts on the harbour floor and massively decreasing harmful effects on our local communities. The future of construction holds more solutions like this one, where management teams have sustainability in the highest regard, alongside safety and economic success.

What do you enjoy doing outside work?

I feel most rested after spending time in nature, swimming at Bronte Beach or going on a long coastal walk with friends. I also love being creative and finding new DIY projects to try. My latest endeavours include digital art, pottery, and building a custom shelf with my partner.

Josh Maiolo

Degree/qualifications

BSc (Conservation and Wildlife Biology), previous experience in mining and construction

Region

WA, currently on the Victoria Park – Canning Level Crossing Removal project

What are you passionate about?

Outside work – the Manly Sea Eagles, Portland Trailblazers, my bonsai trees, and my moustache!

Work-related – Ecological gain and heritage preservation. I am passionate about restoring and/or enhancing ecological values of disturbed sites and integrating both Indigenous Australian and European values and beliefs into design (although I rarely can control this) to celebrate and preserve cultural knowledge – this is something I felt strongly about while working in Northern, WA among a traditional Indigenous community.

Why did you join ACCIONA?

Because it’s a company that acts on promises they make about environment and sustainability goals, with a great portfolio of projects and the ability to rotate interstate and internationally.

What does the future look like in construction and how will you drive this in your career?

The future of construction is integrated teams/disciplines united by a common goal of sustainable infrastructure. I see the shift of contractor vs client vs subcontractor to all parties working together to continually set new benchmarks in aspects such as ISC and GBCA ratings as well as a social benefit. I have been and will continue to drive this in my career by investing time early to foster relationships with all parties and disciplines so that there is a common goal established early that all parties can feel responsible for and desire to work together successfully.

What do you enjoy doing outside work?

Tend to my veggie garden and bonsai trees, go to the gym, play basketball, spend time with my partner, and buy new tools every chance I get.

 

These graduates bring diverse backgrounds and expertise to ACCIONA Australia, and their contributions will undoubtedly strengthen the company’s commitment to sustainable development and environmental responsibility.