Helen Rowe

We asked Helen…

I would recommend a career in civil engineering because…

The variety and opportunity is incredible.

I’ve worked in the marine, rail and highways sectors and all are different and challenging.

There’s always something real and tangible at the end of a project, and you make a difference to people’s lives.

As a client-side engineer, I love how much impact I can have over the carbon footprint of our infrastructure.

I love being able to do my part to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Complete this phrase: I’m a civil engineer, but I’m also…

I’m a civil engineer, but I’m also pretty handy with a power tool!

What’s the biggest/most complex thing you’ve made out of Lego? How long did it take you?

I had a Lego Technic remote control vehicle kit where you could make it into a truck or a digger.

I spent hours building a remote-control car I could fit my Beanie Babies into and drive them around in.

It took a really long time to build a car strong enough to hold them!

What about being a civil engineer gets you out of bed each morning?

For me, being a civil engineer means being able to improve other people’s lives and make a difference.

It’s being trusted to care for things that will (hopefully) outlive me and make complicated decisions that will protect the needs of future generations who aren’t even alive yet.

What’s one great thing that you love about civil engineering that you didn’t know until you started working in the industry?

I honestly didn’t have a clue how much of our world has been influenced by a civil engineer before becoming one.

I would bet very few people in the world go through the entire day without interacting with something a civil engineer has been involved in.

Which civil engineering project (past or present) do you wish you’d worked on?

I would love to have worked on the Homer Tunnel construction in New Zealand.

Being a part of the team that made the natural beauty of Milford Sound accessible would’ve been amazing.

Just imagining breaking through the final tunnel push and seeing that natural landscape open up in front of you… wow.

Name one civil engineering myth you’d like to bust.

That all you do is spend your days either doing maths, or wearing high-vis clothes and boots and stomping about on construction sites.

Yes, there can be some of those things, but there’s so much more.

I spend most of my days talking to members of the community, making decisions about what’s the most sustainable option for the future, and how to look after the creatures that call my assets home.

Has civil engineering helped you overcome any personal hurdles/difficulties?

I suffer from anxiety and depression. Civil engineering gives me a purpose greater than myself and has helped me to overcome some of my lack of confidence and shyness.

What are you doing to help address climate change?

The most sustainable thing we can do is look after what already exists, rather than create new.

I do this on a massive scale by looking after structures that already exist, extending their life as much as possible with minimal intervention.

I also act as the approval authority for new structures and get to question the need, form and type of structure.

So I can influence change, say by going from a concrete retaining wall to a reinforced earth embankment instead.

How has your work as an engineer enhanced the lives of people?

Every single part of my job is about making the best decisions for the community I live in, not just now, but into the future.

One of the best parts of my job is knowing I’ve weighed all the factors to come to a solution that will truly enhance the lives of people I live and work alongside, as well as thousands who visit every year.

What motivated you to become professionally qualified? 

Everyone at university told me that getting chartered was the way to open more paths for career progression and influence.

Originally, I wasn’t signed up to the master’s programme, but I switched to it after a couple of years at university because it made getting chartered simpler.

I’m really glad I did this and that I focused on getting chartered early on in my career, as it’s made my progression easier and distinguishes me from other engineers.

What does being professionally qualified with the ICE mean for your career?

It’s allowed rapid progression in my career and opened opportunities to collaborate across the industry with other professional engineers.

I’m now actively part of several major bridge and tunnel engineering groups and working towards becoming a director at some point in the future.

What’s the best thing about being professionally qualified with the ICE? 

I love the community spirit.

When you walk into an ICE event, everyone is there as a member of the ICE, not necessarily as a member of their employer’s organisation.

The shared knowledge, networking and international recognition are phenomenal.

How did the ICE and your employer support you to become professionally qualified? 

I spent most of my pre-chartership career path on a mentor-supported route.

This means my employer didn’t have formal support for chartership in place and I had to be the driver behind my progression.

This taught me the value of advocating for myself and keeping momentum going.

I’m hoping to use those skills to progress to Fellow of the ICE sometime in the near future.

What do you value most about being an ICE member? 

The community! We stick together and support each other no matter what our backgrounds or roles.

How has being a member helped your career? 

Being a member has absolutely been a catalyst to my success in my career.

As a student member, I networked with companies and secured valuable work experience.

As a graduate member, I networked with other early career professionals and volunteered on the early careers’ committee so I could drive forward the knowledge agenda that was important to me.

And I'm now a chartered member!

Any personal causes?

I believe in standing up for the causes that matter to me, with a vision of a world where everyone can lead safe and happy lives that are free from violence, regardless of where they live.