From Pakistan to Perth: Umar Farooq's Engineering Journey with ACCIONA

For some people, a career in engineering follows a straight line.

For Umar Farooq, it was anything but.

Born in Multan, Pakistan, Umar knew from a young age that he wanted to become an engineer. His journey eventually took him from university in Pakistan to postgraduate study in Perth, through jobs that helped him support himself while studying, and ultimately to an opportunity at ACCIONA.

What makes Umar's story particularly memorable is where his journey began within the business.

Before becoming a Graduate Electrical Engineer, Umar worked as a security officer at ACCIONA's East Rockingham Waste-to-Energy project.

He entered the project through the security gate.

He left it as an engineer.

From Multan to Perth

Umar grew up in Multan, in southern Punjab, as the youngest of six children.

From an early age, he wanted to pursue engineering. He worked hard academically and earned a place at the University of Engineering and Technology, one of Pakistan's leading engineering institutions.

After completing his initial studies, Umar began working at the Pakistan Ordnance Factory, a large government defence manufacturer.

But he wanted to continue learning.

He began exploring opportunities to complete a Master's degree and applied to universities in the United States, Canada and Australia.

In 2018, he chose Australia.

Umar moved to Perth to study a Master's degree in Instrumentation, Control and Automation Engineering at Australian Catholic University.

It was the beginning of a new chapter — but also a challenging one.

Building a life while studying

Moving to another country to study is a significant undertaking.

For Umar, studying in Australia also meant finding ways to support himself financially.

While completing his Master's degree, he worked as an Uber Eats driver in Perth to help cover his university expenses.

Later, he obtained a security licence and began working night shifts with a subcontractor providing security services at construction sites.

Working at night allowed Umar to continue studying during the day.

It was not an easy combination, but it gave him something that would prove extremely valuable: exposure to the Australian construction industry.

A chance encounter with ACCIONA

In 2020, Umar's security work brought him to ACCIONA's East Rockingham Waste-to-Energy project.

At first, his role was straightforward.

He worked as a security officer at the site entrance, monitoring access to the project.

But Umar saw the position differently.

Rather than simply completing his shift, he paid attention to what was happening around him.

He watched subcontractors at work.

He observed construction activities.

He learned about site procedures.

And he became increasingly familiar with construction safety and the working environment.

As Umar described it in the original interview, he knew he was sitting in a "pool of opportunities."

That mindset would become important.

From the security gate to the engineering team

After completing his Master's degree, Umar began applying for engineering positions.

One of the opportunities he found was an ACCIONA graduate engineering position at East Rockingham.

There was just one problem: he was already working at the project in another role.

Then came an unexpected encounter.

Umar was working at the security gate when ACCIONA Project Director Tim Deighton entered the site.

Umar raised the boom.

He also took the opportunity to start a conversation.

He mentioned that he had seen an advertisement for a Graduate Engineer position.

Tim asked Umar whether he was an engineer.

He was.

Tim told him to send through his resume.

The conversation did not end there.

Shortly afterwards, Project Manager Martin Rock came to the security hut, asked for Umar's resume and passed it on to the relevant engineering team.

Within days, Umar attended an interview.

Later that same day, he received the call.

He had been selected.

"Finally that dream comes true"

For Umar, the moment was about more than receiving his first engineering job in Australia.

It represented the culmination of years of work.

He had moved countries.

He had balanced postgraduate study with employment.

He had worked night shifts.

He had worked at a construction site in a non-engineering role.

And he had continued pursuing his goal.

What made the moment particularly meaningful was that Umar had already imagined it.

While working as a security officer at East Rockingham, he had told friends that once he completed his degree, he wanted to work at the same site as an engineer.

That ambition became reality.

"That day I felt that my hard work of the past two years had paid off."

Learning from the construction site

Umar's first experience at ACCIONA was not necessarily the conventional route into engineering.

But it gave him an advantage.

Before joining the engineering team, he already understood what it was like to work on a major construction site.

He had seen how subcontractors operated.

He had observed construction activities.

He understood the importance of site access and safety.

He had experienced the working environment from a completely different perspective.

That practical exposure complemented his academic background in instrumentation, control and automation engineering.

It also reinforced an important principle for anyone starting a career in infrastructure: learning does not only happen in a classroom.

Engineering careers are built through experience

Umar's experience illustrates how different forms of experience can contribute to an engineering career.

A university degree provides technical knowledge.

Working on a construction site provides practical context.

Working alongside experienced professionals creates opportunities to learn how engineering decisions are applied in real projects.

And taking the initiative to ask questions and pursue opportunities can make an important difference.

At ACCIONA, this combination of technical learning and practical experience remains central to the graduate experience.

The company's current Australian Graduate Program is designed to provide graduates with hands-on experience alongside targeted training and professional development. Participants can work across areas including engineering, construction and project management, environment and sustainability, safety and risk, commercial and other business functions.

What makes an ACCIONA graduate experience different?

Today, ACCIONA's graduate program combines practical project experience with structured development.

Graduates begin with a national induction and boot camp, followed by ongoing learning opportunities including monthly sessions led by senior leaders and subject matter experts.

The program also includes opportunities to connect with graduates from different countries and cultures through ACCIONA's Global Graduate Program.

For engineering graduates, that means the opportunity to develop technical skills while also learning how large infrastructure and renewable energy projects are delivered.

It is an environment where engineering is connected to construction, sustainability, safety, commercial decision-making and community outcomes.

Learning from major infrastructure projects

One of the advantages of starting a career at ACCIONA is the variety of projects across the business.

Umar's experience at East Rockingham gave him exposure to a major waste-to-energy development in Western Australia.

The project was designed to process approximately 300,000 tonnes of residual waste each year and generate 29 MW of electricity. ACCIONA was the lead contractor for the engineering, procurement and construction delivery of the facility alongside Hitachi Zosen Inova, while also holding an equity stake in the project.

The scale and complexity of projects like East Rockingham demonstrate why infrastructure offers such a broad learning environment for early-career professionals.

Engineers can encounter complex systems, specialist technologies, construction interfaces, safety requirements and multidisciplinary teams within a single project.

From renewable energy to transport and water

ACCIONA's Australian portfolio extends well beyond waste-to-energy.

The company delivers projects across renewable energy, transport, water and other infrastructure sectors.

This means graduate engineers can potentially gain exposure to very different technical environments throughout their careers.

Examples include large-scale renewable energy developments such as the MacIntyre Wind Precinct in Queensland, major transmission infrastructure such as HumeLink East in New South Wales and major water infrastructure such as the Alkimos Seawater Desalination Plant in Western Australia.

This breadth can be particularly valuable early in a career because it provides opportunities to understand how engineering principles are applied to different types of infrastructure.

A diverse workforce

Umar also highlighted something he noticed when he joined ACCIONA: the diversity of the workforce.

As someone who had moved from Pakistan to Australia, he was initially the only Pakistani person on his workforce.

But he found himself working alongside people from a range of nationalities and backgrounds.

For an international business operating on major Australian projects, this diversity is an important part of the working environment.

ACCIONA's current careers offering continues to emphasise collaboration, professional development and working with people across different countries and cultures.

The importance of taking an opportunity

There is another lesson in Umar's story.

His entry into ACCIONA did not happen through a perfectly planned career path.

He did not begin working on the East Rockingham project as an engineer.

He started as a security officer.

But he used the opportunity to learn about the project, understand the working environment and build relationships with people around him.

When an engineering position became available, he was ready to put himself forward.

That willingness to recognise an opportunity and take action is something that can apply to many early-career professionals.

From international student to Australian engineer

For international graduates, Umar's experience also illustrates the challenges involved in building a professional career in a new country.

Moving overseas can involve adapting to a new education system, workplace culture and community while managing the practical realities of living away from family.

Umar's story shows the value of persistence.

He balanced study and work, dealt with the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic and remained focused on his long-term goal.

His journey also demonstrates why access to practical experience can be so important for graduates entering the Australian infrastructure industry.

Other ACCIONA graduate journeys

Umar's story is one of several examples of graduates building their careers at ACCIONA.

Baxter Howard, for example, joined ACCIONA through an Industry Based Learning Cadetship while studying electrical and electronics engineering before progressing into a Graduate Engineer role on the Mortlake South Wind Farm. His career later took him to Queensland and the MacIntyre Wind Farm Precinct.

Other graduates have entered the business through programs focused on renewable energy, environmental sustainability and engineering.

These stories show that there is no single route into a career at ACCIONA.

Some people arrive through internships or cadetships.

Others join graduate programs.

Some, like Umar, find an opportunity after gaining experience in another role on a project.

The common element is a willingness to learn and contribute.

Opportunities for the next generation

ACCIONA's current Australian graduate program is designed for people who have recently completed, or are close to completing, a Bachelor's or Master's degree.

The program includes hands-on experience, structured development and opportunities to rotate across different areas of the business. ACCIONA says it welcomes around 100 new graduates into its graduate program each year on average.

Graduate opportunities cover a broad range of disciplines, including:

• Engineering, Design & Technical Services
• Construction & Project Management
• Environment & Sustainability
• Safety & Risk Management
• Commercial Contracts & Business Strategy
• Surveying & Geospatial Sciences
• Community Engagement & Stakeholder Relations.

This diversity reflects the reality of modern infrastructure.

Large projects are not delivered by engineers alone.

They require people across technical, construction, environmental, commercial, safety and community disciplines working together.

What can graduates learn on major projects?

Working on a major project can provide exposure to many aspects of engineering and construction that are difficult to replicate in a classroom.

Depending on the role, graduates may gain experience in:

Design and technical assurance
Understanding how engineering concepts become project specifications and deliverable designs.

Construction
Seeing how engineering decisions translate into physical works.

Project management
Learning how programme, cost, resources and technical requirements interact.

Safety
Understanding how engineering and construction activities are planned around safe work practices.

Sustainability
Considering environmental and social outcomes alongside technical requirements.

Stakeholder engagement
Learning how major projects interact with clients, communities, suppliers and other stakeholders.

This multidisciplinary exposure can provide a strong foundation for a long-term infrastructure career.

A career with room to grow

One of the strongest themes in Umar's story is that his first role did not define the limits of his career.

He began by working at a security gate.

He wanted to become an engineer.

He took every opportunity to learn.

And when the right position became available, he was prepared.

That progression is a useful reminder that careers rarely develop in a perfectly straight line.

Sometimes the role that gets you onto a project is not the role you ultimately want.

The important thing is what you learn along the way and what you do with the opportunities that follow.

Building Australia's infrastructure

For engineers, one of the most rewarding aspects of working in infrastructure is seeing the physical result of your work.

A design can become a road, bridge, wind farm, transmission line, water treatment facility or energy project.

The work is tangible.

It can also have a lasting impact on the communities and industries that use the infrastructure.

ACCIONA describes its Australian business as focused on building sustainable infrastructure and contributing to the transition towards a more sustainable future.

For graduates, that means early-career experience can be connected to projects with long-term relevance.

From Pakistan to Perth — and a career in engineering

Umar Farooq's journey began thousands of kilometres away from Australia.

He left Multan with an ambition to become an engineer.

He arrived in Perth as an international student.

He worked to support himself while studying.

He gained experience in construction through a security role.

And eventually, an unexpected conversation at a security gate helped open the door to his first engineering role with ACCIONA.

His story is a reminder that careers are built through persistence, curiosity and taking opportunities when they appear.

It is also a reminder that talent can come from anywhere.

For ACCIONA, creating opportunities for people from different backgrounds is part of building the diverse teams needed to deliver the infrastructure of the future.

Frequently asked questions about careers at ACCIONA

Does ACCIONA offer graduate engineering positions in Australia?

Yes. ACCIONA Australia operates a graduate program covering engineering, construction, project management, environment and sustainability, safety, commercial and other disciplines.

Do I need previous full-time experience to apply for ACCIONA's graduate program?

ACCIONA states that previous full-time work experience is not required, although internship and undergraduate experience is highly desirable.

What qualifications do I need to apply?

ACCIONA's current graduate program is aimed at applicants with a relevant Bachelor's degree or tertiary qualification, or those close to completing their studies, subject to the programme's eligibility requirements.

What areas can graduates work in?

Graduate opportunities include engineering and technical services, construction and project management, environment and sustainability, safety and risk, commercial functions, surveying and geospatial sciences and community engagement.

Does ACCIONA offer internships and undergraduate opportunities?

Yes. ACCIONA provides pathways for graduates and undergraduates, including opportunities designed to provide students with practical experience before graduation.

Can an international graduate build a career at ACCIONA Australia?

Eligibility depends on the relevant role and work-right requirements. ACCIONA's current Australian graduate programme lists full working rights in Australia or New Zealand among its eligibility criteria.

What was Umar Farooq's first role at ACCIONA?

Umar initially worked as a security officer at ACCIONA's East Rockingham Waste-to-Energy project before joining the project team as a Graduate Electrical Engineer.

What can graduates expect from ACCIONA's graduate program?

ACCIONA's programme includes hands-on experience, a national induction and boot camp, learning sessions with senior leaders and subject matter experts, and opportunities to connect with graduates from different countries and cultures.

Your career can start anywhere

Umar's journey from Multan to Perth is a story about more than becoming an engineer.

It is about having a goal, working through setbacks and recognising opportunities when they appear.

His first role at ACCIONA was not the role he ultimately wanted.

But it gave him access to a major infrastructure project, practical experience, professional connections and an opportunity to demonstrate what he could do.

Today, ACCIONA continues to offer graduate and undergraduate pathways across engineering, construction, renewable energy, sustainability and other areas of the infrastructure industry.

For the next generation of engineers, the lesson is simple:

Your first step does not have to be your final destination.

Sometimes you just need to get through the gate.