Meet Melissa Jovic | Inspiring Women in Engineering

1. Tell us what you do at Transport

My role is Associate Director, Corridor Development in the Transport Planning Branch. Since we started the Fast Rail Program in August 2017, I’ve been leading the technical stream across the program for different business cases

2. What's your proudest moment?

My proudest work related moment was when I received Transport Award 2016 – Champion of Diversity & Inclusion (attached).

My proudest professional moment was in 2008. After 25 years of practising engineering across Europe, NZ and AUS, I was accepted as a Fellow in Engineers AUS as 8th female Fellow in NSW.

3. What advice do you have for other women thinking about a career in Engineering?

We should recognise that there is huge pride in being a professional in a vocational occupation. Engineering is a very versatile occupation with a highly transferable set of skills. We can work in any country around the world, in any management or leadership position or in any borderline area of expertise (teaching, IT, banking, finance, insurance, research, science streams, etc.). The Engineering degree gives us a “toolbox of knowledge and methodologies” which is a solid foundation not for our career only, but for whole life.

4. How can we transform the future of women in engineering?

In 2016, Engineers AUS/National Committee WIE established strategic objectives and it is fully applicable to any working environment:

· Attract women to the field of engineering

· Support and Retain women working within the industry

· Celebrate the achievements women in engineering

Also, the following themes are common with other professional women in male dominated industries:

1) Increased participation of women in decision making – remove unconscious bias from selection processes

2) Flexible and family supporting work environment – develop organisational mechanisms to promote career/life balance

3) Implement a ‘Sponsor’ role in addition to the Mentor role – Sponsoring provides the chance to act in higher and different roles. Mentoring is strategic help while Sponsoring is tactical

5. Tell us something that people may not know about you?

I love learning about different cultures, languages and literature, music and visual art. I’m a very passionate reader and can’t imagine my life without books (on average one per week). And of course there is that deep hidden desire to become an author and write a book one day!