Ahmad Siddiqi

4.00 AM

Time to wake up, get ready and head out for the day. The sun’s not out yet, but it’s time for me to start my daily routine.

4.30 AM

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! The dry mess at my accommodation has anything you could want for breakfast. For me, that is usually a bowl of cereal, PB&J on toast and a cup of coffee. I pack some snacks for the day and read up on the news before it’s time to go.

5.15 AM

We’re off and running, the crew are on the bus and it’s time to head to the site.

5.45 AM

We arrive on site. Seeing a project come to life after you’ve spent months helping design it back in Perth is the most rewarding part of the job.

6.00 AM

Every construction day starts with a Pre-Start meeting. Everyone needs to know what they’re doing for the day. Electricians and trade assistants are assigned their work fronts and supervisors outline anything that needs to be brought to the team’s attention.

6.30 AM

Time to get into it. I start my day by catching up on emails. I may be replying to my team members back in Perth, liaising with contractors and sub-contractors, or voicing my concerns to a client. As an engineer on site, it’s my job to ensure any issues with the project find resolutions and all parties are aware of their scopes of work.

7.00 AM

As a graduate who is based out of MRL’s Perth offices, the main goal for me here on site is to absorb as much information as I can about the construction process. The best way for me to learn is to spend time with the subject matter experts, electricians. I head out of the construction office to walk through the different work fronts for the day to see who I can help and learn from.

9.00 AM

Designs are never perfect. My job as an engineer is to help get a design as close to perfect as possible. But when concepts and plans are brought to fruition, there is often a need for some changes or adjustments. I am responsible for finding solutions to problems that may arise during construction. I grab my red pen and get to work.

10.00 AM

Smoko. Tools down, it’s time to eat! I’ve packed my food from the dry mess back at the accommodation the night before.

11.00 AM

Every aspect of a project must be checked. Motors, cables, instruments, conduits; if we install it, we check it. With the help of an electrician, I complete Field Inspection Checklists (FICs), specific to each part of the design.

1.00 PM

Cables, cables and cables. For a plant to run, it needs power. Cables distribute power around the plant and allow for instruments to communicate with the control system. Back in the office, I sized and scheduled each cable used throughout the project. Here on site, I help the team pull the cables into place, and learn about the various challenges they face when installing and terminating them.

2.00 PM

Lunch time. We’re on the final stretch!

3.00 PM

Every electrical circuit requires safety devices such as circuit breakers, fuses, or protection relays. These devices protect all the components in a circuit. A Motor Control Center (MCC) feeds power to each load on site.  Protective devices for the circuits to these loads are housed inside MCC cubicles. I determine the settings for the protective device using calculations and software before configuring them inside the cubicles, usually with the help of a screwdriver.

5.00 PM

That’s a wrap! Another workday comes to an end. Every day on site brings its lessons and challenges. There’s no better way to learn about electrical design than coming to site and getting your hands dirty. It’s been a productive day but it’s time for me to catch my bus home.

5.30 PM

We arrive back at the accommodation. There’s nothing better than a warm shower after a long day’s work.

6.00 PM

I head to the dry mess for dinner. There is a huge variety of different meals to choose from each day. Today is Seafood Friday which means fish, oysters, lobsters, and prawns! I pack my food for the next day and head back to my room.

6.30 PM

Finally, some time to relax and unwind. Usually, I call my family back home and watch some Netflix. If I’m in the mood, I’ll grab some dessert from the dry mess. Tonight, I came down to the beach. No matter where I am in WA, I feel at home when I get to watch the sunset over the horizon.

8.00 PM

Bedtime, 8 hours of sleep is a must when I’m on site. Time to rest and rejuvenate, ready to do it all again tomorrow.

Thinking of experiencing life as a Mineral Resources Graduate? Sign up to GradAustralia to receive job alerts for Mineral Resources.