My Volunteering Journey
Volunteer Abroad with Aqua Clara – Biosand Filter Training & Implementation
Student researcher at the University of California Berkeley, partnering with Rotary International and NGO, Aqua Clara, in biosand filter technology. Volunteered abroad in Aqua Clara’s training and implementation program in underdeveloped communities within De Lose Oliveros, Guatemala.
EWB – Zumba Fundraiser
Bechtel supported the local EWB university chapter in hosting a Zumba workout and other fun health and fitness activities to raise funds towards supporting various EWB initiatives including overseas volunteer placements, school outreach programs and project development. Participant and organizer for the event, including emceeing the event and supporting Bechtel’s EWB Champion in planning and campaigning.
Community Service – ROTA Wheels & Heels
ROTA Wheels & Heels encourages all families in Qatar to ‘Reach Out By Having Fun’ which takes place at the Museum of Islamic Art Park on the Doha Corniche. All family members are invited to climb aboard a bike, jump on a skateboard or lace up a pair of trainers to complete The Circuit as adults, children and celebrities jog, walk, cycle or wheelchair three km along the Doha Corniche to help ROTA raise fund to provide quality education to 48 million children in need across Asia. Participant and promoter of event.
Community Service – Reach Out To Asia (ROTA) Sports Day
Qatar’s National Sport Day is set up to promote sports, physical education and sustainable development to further enhance the Qatar National Vision 2030. ROTA hosted a Sports Day event with activities and competitions to encourage families and kids to get active and raise awareness about health and fitness. Participant and promoter of event.
Stewardship – Infosession Lunch & Learn
Led a lunch & learn for the Bechtel office in Dubai to educate and encourage staff to participate in stewardship initiatives and contribute to corporate social responsibility.
JA / INJAZ – Job Shadow Day
Students are introduced to careers though one-day, on site corporate visits to provide students with an authentic real-world experience, enhanced with classroom preparatory and follow up activities. Bechtel Dubai office held a successful job shadow day during which 18 students from Ajman University and Sharjah University spent the day in the office and learned about various engineering and project management functions. Led, organized, coordinated, recruited and prepared content and delivery for the entire program.
JA / INJAZ – Steer Your Career
A professional development program that aims to teach the skills needed for a modern workplace and raise students’ awareness on challenges faced as they take the first steps in their professional career path. Bechtel volunteers took part in the ‘Steer Your Career’ Program during which three sessions were held with students from American University of Emirates & Canadian University of Dubai to teach them about work readiness skills. Led, organized, coordinated, recruited and prepared content and delivery for the entire program.
JA / INJAZ – Job Shadow Day
Students are introduced to careers though one-day, on site corporate visits to provide students with an authentic real-world experience, enhanced with classroom preparatory and follow up activities. Riyadh Metro Project held a successful job shadow day for young high school girls which included a site visit to one of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) launch sites. At the time, I was the SAC regional chair based in Dubai, so I liaised with and supported the Bechtel team to organize and participate at this event. I also was able to participate in the event during a business trip to the Riyadh Metro Project.
JA / INJAZ – Job Shadow Day
Students are introduced to careers though one-day, on site corporate visits to provide students with an authentic real-world experience, enhanced with classroom preparatory and follow up activities. Shaheen Project held a successful job shadowing day during which 12 engineering students from Ras Al Khaimah University spent the day in the office. At the time, I was the SAC Middle East regional chair based in Dubai, so I liaised with and supported the Bechtel team on the Shaheen project to organize and participate at this event.
Community Service – Adopt-A-Camp Ramadan Career Packages
Beyond Bechtel Stewardship programs, the Bechtel Dubai office raised AED 2,065 in sponsorship to donate to the Adopt-A-Camp foundation for the Ramadan Care Package activity. Volunteers from Bechtel contributed to preparation and distribution of care packages to UAE street laborers. Participant and promoter of the event, including campaigning and logistical coordination with other Bechtel volunteers.
JA / INJAZ – 1000 Sharika
1000 Sharika in INJAZ Saudi Arabia is similar to JA’s Be Entrepreneurial program. Bechtel Volunteers act as mentors in assisting students in developing entrepreneurial ideas and their own start-up businesses. Students provide progress presentation to Bechtel volunteers and supporters. At the time, I was the SAC Middle East regional chair based in Dubai, so I liaised with and supported the Bechtel team on the Riyadh Metro Project to organize and participate at this opportunity. During a business trip to the Riyadh Metro Project, I also was able to participate in one of the 1000 Sharika events where the students visited the office and presented their ideas to Bechtel mentors and volunteers.
JA / INJAZ – Be Entrepreneurial
JA Be Entrepreneurial focuses on challenging students through interactive classroom activities, to start their own entrepreneurial venture while still in high school. The program provides useful, practical content to assist students to transition into becoming productive, contributing members of society. Students also learn how to write a business plan. At the time, I was the SAC Middle East regional chair based in Dubai, so I liaised with and supported the Bechtel team on the New Doha Intl Project to organize and participate at this event.
JA / INJAZ – Career Success
JA (or known as INJAZ in the Middle East) Career Success equips students with the knowledge required to get and keep a job in high-growth industries. Students will explore the crucial workplace skills employers seek but often find lacking in young employees. Students also learn about valuable tools to find that perfect job, including resumes, cover letters, and interviewing techniques. Participant and organizer for the event, including recruitment, liaison with JA and Bechtel volunteers, training, and content preparation and delivery
Volunteer Abroad w/ Global Volunteer Network (GVN) – English Teaching Program
In GVN’s English Teaching Program volunteers are placed at schools and community education centres throughout Cusco. Volunteers assist the full time teacher with speaking, listening, writing, reading, grammar, and vocabulary lessons. Volunteers may also be asked to help with specific learners in terms of pronunciation and for one-on-one tutoring. Took Spanish lessons and taught English in free English-learning facilities in Cusco.
Volunteer Abroad w/ Inotawa Lodge – Reforestation Work
Reforestation projects in the Amazon serve to restore and reverse the effects industrialization and development have had on forests across the globe. Although reforestation initiatives differ by location, all of them have similar goals: reconstruct forests in order to improve quality of life, rebuild natural habitats and ecosystems, and mitigate the impact of global warming. Worked at the Inotawa Lodge in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon Jungle as part of their reforestation initiatives.
FLL – Sydney Regional Tournament
Bechtel volunteers attended the FLL Sydney Regional Tournament and Macquarie University. Approximately 35 teams attended the event to compete against each other in the tournament and get judged on their robots, research project and core values. Most of our volunteers were judges in one of these categories. Promoter for the event, including supporting Bechtel’s FLL Champion in planning and campaigning.
First Lego League (FLL) – Australian FLL National Championship & Junior Expo
Bechtel volunteers attended Australian FLL National Championship & FLL Junior Expo at Macquarie University. A record number of over 70 student teams from ages 5-18 attended the event. Volunteers participated as judges or activity coordinators throughout the day. Participant and promoter for the event, including supporting Bechtel’s FLL Champion in planning and campaigning.
EA – Careers Talk, Honeywell Engineering Summer School
Attended a careers night hosted by EA as part of the Honeywell Engineering Summer School program. Students also have the opportunity to meet and interact with professional engineers employed by government, private companies, researchers and academics in a wide range of engineering disciplines. Bechtel volunteers, myself included, shared their own experiences on their career paths and received positive feedback about their mentoring session and a few students even decided to change their career choice because of their inspiration.
STEM – Job Shadow Day with Scarlett Pye
Bechtel hosted a job shadow day for Scarlett Pye, a young, bright high-school graduate interested in pursuing a career in civil engineering who was featured in the local Sydney papers for overcoming hurdles to take engineering courses at an all-boys high school, which inspired us to reach out and invite her to the project. Hosted Scarlett on her visit and organized the event with other volunteers for site visits, functional learning sessions, and a careers talk lunch and learn.
FLL – Sydney Regional Tournament
EWB and Mecca have partnered together to offer the Mecca M-Power Scholarship. This scholarship is open to young (less than 10 years’ experience), female engineers who are EWB members and have an idea for a one-year project which will engage young women and girls in STEM. I submitted a proposal for an industry-led school outreach program for a 14-week lecture and project development course delivered by industry professionals with a focus on women in STEM studies and careers.
STEM – Sydney Metro Minds STEAM Challenge
As a part of Bechtel client Sydney Metro’s FastTracking the Future program, Year 9 and 10 students are invited to enter the Metro Minds STEAM Challenge promoting innovation and collaboration using the Sydney Metro project as context. Several members from Bechtel volunteered as Metro Minds ambassadors, myself included, representing the Bechtel and helping make this Sydney Metro initiative a great success. Helped promote and liaise with Bechtel colleagues.
EWB – Annual General Meeting Elections
EWB NSW gathered with EWB corporate partner, Bechtel, for the 2018 Annual General Meeting. This was an opportunity to reflect on 2017, present awards to members of the region who have made significant contribution to EWB’s vision, look forward to the region’s plan for 2018 and elect EWB executives who will represent EWB NSW for the next 12 months. Recruited Bechtel colleagues support to attend and established connections with local EWB leaders and members.
EWB – International Pre-Departure In Country Training
Attended as Bechtel representatives in EWB’s international pre-departure in-country training for volunteers and supporters (technical advisors/corporate partners) for abroad placements. Training included facilitation techniques and a holistic understanding and approach to EWB’s practice of human centred design. Established relations with EWB Australia’s Key Relationships Manager which led to invitation to this event and other opportunities. Liaised with SAC for communications and funding support to send Bechtel delegates to this networking and learning opportunity on humanitarian engineering.
Stewardship Planning – “Dream Big” Movie Night
Helped planned and participated in a movie night to watch “Dream Big”, a short film sponsored by Bechtel, about inspirational world engineering feats and people. Helped organize this initial session with Stewardship committee leaders to brainstorm and kick off ideas, such as hosting movie nights with local universities through EWB or with a family movie night with Bechtel client Sydney Metro staff.
EWB – Bechtel Hosted Lunch & Learn on Humanitarian Engineering
Bechtel is hosting a lunch and learn for EWB members and Bechtel colleagues after delegates attended EWB’s Pre-Departure In-Country Training in Melbourne, VIC in order to share take aways from an inspiring and eye-opening training on EWB’s mission, projects, and approach to sustainability and human-centred design. Attended as a delegate, and helping prepare content and lead discussions.
Engineers Australia (EA) – Experience IT! Student Conference
Sydney Metro has partnered with EA for an initiative taking place at Sydney University which targets high school girls in Years 8-10 interested in STEM studies. The objective is to enlighten and inspire them into undertaking Science, Technology and Maths to HSC/IB level. In particular, Sydney Metro’s stand will focus on female leadership in engineering. The day consists of: Informing Students about Sydney Metro & engineering roles within the organization, and completing engineering based activates and games with students. Back up volunteer and promoter for event, including providing support to Sydney Metro in promotion of event within Bechtel colleagues.
Junior Achievement (JA) – EWB Humanitarian Engineering Conference (HEC)
The HEC is an inter-university conference in collaboration of the EWB Chapters of UTS, USYD and UNSW. The conference will encompass guest speakers, opportunities to network as well as great opportunities to socialize and get to know some like-minded people. Bechtel representatives will be featured on a corporate panel discussion at the conference and also receive professional development training for teaching and facilitation. Organizer and liaison for the event, including organization support and liaison with JA and Bechtel’s EWB Champion.
JA – Speed Mentoring
JA Speed Mentoring with Bechtel & Transport for NSW (TfNSW) gives Year 11 students the ability to network and meet corporate volunteers from a variety of STEM related fields. The program is an opportunity for students to gain insight into professionals’ personal career choices and challenges in the business and STEM world. Bechtel Champion for JA initiatives, and organizer and liaison for the event, including organization and liaison with JA and Sydney Metro’s Education Team and Workforce Development Team to deliver this initiative together with Bechtel client, TfNSW on the Sydney Metro project.
Engineers Without Borders (EWB) – Soccer Tournament Fundraiser
EWB are hosting a 12 team soccer tournament to raise funds towards supporting various EWB initiatives including overseas volunteer placements, school outreach programs and computer tutoring for refugees. Participant and organizer for the event, including supporting Bechtel’s EWB Champion in planning, campaigning, designing team uniforms and coordinating with SAC for communications and support.
