What attracted you to apply to Viva Energy?
As a graduate chemical engineer, the oil and gas industry was particularly appealing to me as it was an opportunity to apply fundamental principles and learnings from my degree directly in a unique and practical setting. The dynamic process that is refining, requires you to call upon your knowledge of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, vapour/liquid equilibrium, separation process and reactions all in one process; all cornerstones of a chemical engineering degree.
Viva Energy has fantastic career pathways for chemical engineers to move out of the technical space and into other roles such as management, supply/trading and project/design work. Viva Energy offers an opportunity for young engineers be a part of Australia’s critical energy sector and create change in the business as we look towards the future of energy. Looking beyond, Viva Energy values investing in future energy projects to remain competitive in an ever-changing energy market which provides me, as a young chemical engineer, with confidence that my job will be secured for the duration of my career.
The culmination of all these reasons, coupled with the fact that Viva Energy owns and operates one of the last refineries in Australia, made the decision to apply for Viva Energy an easy one. The technical proficiency and industry experience that you can gain at a refinery as a chemical engineer is unparalleled by any other industry.
What do you love about your work?
What I love about my work at Viva Energy is the continual development opportunities within your day-to-day tasks, wider refinery and business and energy market at large.
From a technical point of view, as a chemical engineer, there is never a shortage of learning opportunities. The inherent complex nature of oil processing means that there is always something new to learn and an opportunity to demonstrate your problem-solving skills and decision-making.
Outside of the technical space, the opportunities to learn about the supply and trading of the world’s biggest commodity opened my eyes to the integral part Viva Energy as a business plays in fuelling Australia and how we fit into the world market.
How has the graduate program supported you in launching your career?
Chemical engineering graduates at Viva Energy are given real responsibility early on in their career, by being responsible for the efficient and reliable operation of complex refining units. Being the focal point for a particular area of the plant, develops your ability to think quickly, make informed decisions and communicate effectively to resolve issues all with real-world safety and economic consequences. I believe this has accelerated my career far beyond any other graduate program could have, as I have now developed critical skills which I can use to further my career in both the engineering and corporate space.
The Viva Energy graduate program provided me with opportunities to apply my technical and problem-solving skills on dynamic process problems, all while considering safety, cost and efficiency implications. The inherent nature of a continuous process operating 24/7 means that there are always challenges to face and overcome to maintain the smooth operation of the plant. The graduate program has challenged me early on to be independent and be able to find reliable data, make informed decisions and perform a cost-benefit analysis to reach a practical solution.
All of these skills are vital as a process engineer and can translate to other roles I might find myself in later on in my career. The Viva Energy graduate program has positioned me in a challenging environment with unique opportunities that has equipped me with the skills to succeed in a greater professional capacity.