Hudson Laufmann is a graduate engineer with UGL in Western Australia (WA) and a member of our 2024 CIMIC Group graduate program cohort.
He studied a Bachelor of mechanical engineering at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Victoria.
Tell us about your typical day
"I joined UGL with the intention of not confining myself to a single role. I wanted to explore all aspects of a project, and this approach has provided me with opportunities to experience a wide range of tasks and responsibilities.
“When I started in the Melbourne corporate office, my role involved administrative duties that included completing historical data analysis of all previous project variations and assisting the team with risk-based inspections for pipeline integrity across terminals in Australia.
“In my current role in the services team in WA, my priorities include managing budgets and inspections for piping and tanks. We are working on a project that involves installing new piping to remove a tank from service. To meet the tight deadlines, we need to keep things progressing smoothly. This has involved numerous meetings and discussions to ensure everything stays on track.
“Between procurement, engineering, and administrative tasks, I have had a nice broad feel for it all, which has been enjoyable.”
What made you choose the CIMIC Group graduate program?
“UGL has projects across Australia. When I was applying, it was an inviting prospect to have the opportunity to move across the country. The graduate program was the best opportunity for me to see a variety of work and gather experience.
“Another major benefit of the program is the opportunity to explore different avenues that you might not typically consider for yourself. For me, it provided the direction I needed to understand which area of engineering I wanted to pursue, allowing me to explore various paths and possibilities."
Your advice for those wanting to join the program?
“Have a crack at everything! My motto coming in was to learn as much as possible, which has opened many opportunities for me and made me more valuable on site. If someone needs something done, I'm ready to tackle it and see how I handle the challenge. And if I get stuck, there's always support available at UGL."
Who has been your mentor at UGL?
"Everyone I work with is a mentor. William Keil, UGL’s Integrity Engineer, guided me extensively, and I managed a major project analysing project variations for UGL across Australia. Despite being new to variations, I took on the challenge and successfully presented to the client.
“In WA, I’m lucky to work with a great team. Oliver Swords, UGL’s Mechanical Maintenance Engineer, and Graeme Bond, UGL’s Tank Engineer, provide invaluable guidance. Their support is helping me become a more effective engineer, and I’m grateful for their mentorship and my current role."