What's your job about?
The Public Transport Authority work to provide public transport services to the people of Perth, WA regional centres and schools.
I’m currently working in the High Capacity Signalling (HCS) team, a project that aims to double the number of trains that can be run on existing rail. As Perth’s population rises the pressure placed on transport infrastructure grows. By increasing the number of trains the network can support, we can reduce the level of congestion and get more people to their destination on time.
My rotation involves developing an interface between the train computer and brake controller so that all brake logs are remotely uploaded to our network at the end of each shift. Modifying trains (the brakes especially) requires significant checks and balances to make sure that the stopping performance of the train is not compromised. I get to work with a small (biscuit) PC that is essentially the brains of the train – something you don’t want to mess up!
Eventually, I’ll be looking into running a train at maximum speed down the rail and applying full brakes, which will allow the project to understand how close each train can safely run behind another.
What's your background?
I grew up and went through primary school in Cairns, Queensland. Before long I was whisked away to Malaysia for several years followed by the rest of my high school years in Indonesia. I came back to Australia to complete a degree in Business Management in Brisbane before moving to the Philippines to pursue a job opportunity. I missed the rigor of maths and physics and decided to go back to university to study Engineering degree in Perth. I chose Mechatronics because I thought the interface between mechanical and electrical engineering was where the future was headed, in addition to all the job opportunities it opened up!
I began work at the PTA as a vacation student. I was taken aback at how complex and intricate rail engineering can be. Rail engineering is very specific, and everyone around you understands that – you’re not expected to know everything on day one (or day 100 for that matter)! My supervisor at the time said that my role was to be a student first and engineer second and absorb as much knowledge as I could. “The time to be a great engineer can only be after you understand what you’re talking about”. After this I applied for and got a graduate role with the PTA, which has allowed me to rotate through several departments, picking up a lot of technical skills across a range of disciplines.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
Unfortunately, no. For my specific role you need a Mechatronic Engineering degree, but there are other roles for different majors such as Mechanical, Civil and Electrical Engineers. One skill you absolutely need is the ability to learn – just because you’ve graduated doesn’t mean you’re done with learning. Take the opportunity to ask questions and go through documentation to understand why something is done.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
Good public transport is something that we all take for granted yet is a fundamental pillar of a functioning city. It reduces wealth inequality and allows people to get to work in an environmentally conscious way. At the end of the day it benefits the lives of so many people. No matter how small, what I work on helps people get to work when they might not have a car, see their loved ones, or even just get home safely after a night out. I never come home and question what I’m doing.
What are the limitations of your job?
As a new employee, you have to understand that there are processes and red tape when initiating procurement or modifying drawings for example. These steps ensure accountability and safety, and can seem like they slow down the process. But at the end of the day, they’re important given we’re spending taxpayer (your!) money and need to ensure the wellbeing of up to 1,000 passengers per train.
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