With an eye for the smallest of details and a passion for solving problems, our engineering team is responsible for ensuring our assets, including Awoonga Dam, are kept safe and at optimal efficiency and effectiveness for our customers.
As part of National Water Week 2024, we asked Phil Webber, GAWB Engineering Manager, about his role and his career in the water industry.
When you were little, what did you want to be?
A mechanic. Because I got to do a lot of mechanical work on the farm with my uncle and I enjoyed that as a kid.
Why did you choose a career in water?
I grew up on a farm, so I know how important water is and that irrigation is critical for the farm to be successful. I’ve always had an interest in irrigation because of farming, and this, and my background in engineering, has led me to a career working on water projects from Far North Queensland all the way down to Victoria.
Tell us a little about your professional journey
I started out as an Irrigation Manager for a tea-tree plantation. Then I was as an Irrigation Extension Officer for the National Centre for Engineering and Agriculture at the Uni of Southern Queensland, before moving into design engineering work for water projects.
I’ve worked on water infrastructure in the Atherton Tablelands, Burdekin and Bundaberg irrigation areas, a mini hydro-electricity project in the Snowy Mountains in NSW, and Goulbourn-Murray Water in Victoria.
I’ve worked on many of the dams in QLD, and built raw water supply pipelines in the Bowen Basin for coal mining.
How would you describe your job to an acquaintance at a barbecue?
I manage a team of engineers who provide the technical support to keep our assets operating. We make sure we have the right equipment, such as pumps, pipelines etc, and they are well-maintained to ensure the supply of raw water from the dam.
How do you help the water get from Awoonga Dam to Gladstone homes and local industry?
We make sure we have the right equipment, such as pumps, pipelines etc, and that they are well-maintained to ensure the supply of raw water from the dam.
Why do you choose to work in Gladstone?
GAWB is full of great people who are wonderful to work with, who genuinely want to do a great job.
How has the workplace evolved over the last 10-20 years?
Technology has evolved quickly over the past few decades and this has changed the workplace, the way we work and communicate, and improved our efficiency including in the engineering space.
When I started my engineering career, we didn’t have flat screens on our computers and mobile phones weren’t a thing. Now mobiles enable us to have better access to business resources, information, useful apps and maps. Technology helps us to work smarter in many instances.
What advice would you give someone just starting their career in your field?
Be willing to learn from those around you. You never know what you will learn, even from those who are in different roles and streams to yours.
What does GAWB’s vision ‘together delivering safe and reliable water services to enhance the liveability of our region’ mean to you?
By working together as the GAWB team we continue to supply water safely and reliably to the Gladstone region. Without water, we can’t thrive, so I’m proud to be part of the team delivering this essential resource.
Want to know more about a career at GAWB and our latest opportunities? Visit our careers page.