#10 - Dheeraj: Leveraging your master’s project

Dheeraj is a Civil engineering Project Manager and has worked in regional Australia handling tender management, contract management and capital works delivery. He’s managed the design and delivery of complex building projects involving a multi-disciplinary team of architects, consultants and contractors. Currently, he’s working on a Victorian Government Big Build project in Melbourne. Dheeraj kick-started his engineering career in Nepal… working as a civil engineer for a multinational telecom company. He moved to Australia in 2012 to pursue a master's degree and enhanced his learnings further in Project Management.

Apart from work… he also volunteers at the local CFA, training to be a Volunteer Firefighter.  

I first met Dheeraj in 2015 after he’d completed his master’s in civil engineering. My initial impression was that he was professional in his approach to finding work – methodical, thorough and showed great attention to detail… all prerequisites for being an excellent engineer and leader.

In our conversation, Dheeraj talks about:

• Leveraging a master’s project for paid work
• Job seeking strategy
• Graduate program applications
• Visa challenges
• Strategy change after meeting with OBP Australia
• Job interview experiences
• Working & living in regional Australia compared to capital city life
• Country Fire Authority membership
• Why Australia over other options
• Role of a construction Project Manager
• Professional development
• Stakeholder engagement
• Cultural differences between Nepal and Australia
• Advice for fitting in