Riverina engineer defies expectations: How Emmeline built a career in a male-dominated field

Despite grappling with imposter syndrome, Emmeline Rocks was determined to make her mark in a male-dominated industry.

Recently awarded the Distinguished Young Alumni of the Year award at Charles Sturt University (CSU), the 25-year-old civil engineer told Region of the challenges she has faced as a woman in construction, particularly being underestimated.

“Being a female in the industry, people often make assumptions about you before they get to know you or see what you can do,” Emmeline said.

“That’s hard to overcome and show people what I can do, and it makes you have imposter syndrome.

“I felt like people thought I couldn’t do it, so maybe I couldn’t. Working past that and saying: ‘No, I can do this. I believe in myself,’ was my biggest challenge.”

Born and raised in Wagga Wagga and the eldest of three daughters, Emmeline was drawn to the idea of becoming an architect.

However, after attending a career day, Emmeline discovered civil engineering and became one of the first female students to graduate from the CSU engineering program.

“I saw what people were doing and thought I wanted to be involved in actually building things, rather than just designing them,” Emmeline said.

“During my second year of university, I worked on design projects at Riverina Water. I then visited a construction site where we were building new water reservoirs.

“Seeing all the construction activity made me realise I wanted to be involved in building and work on-site.”

Emmeline was “drawn to the structure of the CSU engineering degree, which is quite different from those offered by other universities”.

“The ability to complete work placements as part of my degree has allowed me to gain valuable experience while studying, helping me accelerate my career and achieve promotions that wouldn’t have been possible with a traditional degree.”

Emmeline completed her Bachelor of Technology (Civil)/Master of Engineering (Civil) at CSU and is now working as a project manager for Zauner Construction in Albury-Wodonga.

She has worked on some of the company’s leading projects, including the Northeast Health Wangaratta redevelopment, the Opal Fibre Packaging Plant, and a five-level carpark.

The young engineer described the Northeast Health Wangaratta project as a mammoth undertaking, as construction took place in an active hospital.

“A big highlight of that project was handing it over and seeing the excitement on the faces of nurses, doctors, and staff who had been struggling for over the past two years,” Emmeline said.

“[Hospital staff] had to work with construction noise and interruptions.

“But watching them walk around and appreciate the new space, and how much more room they had compared to before, made it all worthwhile.”

For Emmeline, engineering is much bigger than just roads and bridges.

“Engineering is the start of everything. Before you can think about any kind of building, it’s the ground, the soil underneath. To me, engineering is everything.

“It’s part of everything we do, every building we’re in, and every technology we use.”

As part of the Regional Industry Education Partnerships’ ‘Girls Can Too’ initiative, Emmeline has also engaged with girls from Albury-Wodonga high schools to reshape their perceptions of construction as a male-dominated field.

“Through my involvement with these programs, I am committed to breaking down barriers and changing the stigma surrounding women working in the construction industry,” she said.

Currently, Emmeline is managing the redevelopment of Jacob Toyota in Wodonga. Her long-term career goals include staying in the Riverina.

“I want to grow as a project manager, take on more complex projects, and eventually work my way up to a construction manager.”