Career Profiles

The Queensland water industry is responsible for providing safe, secure and sustainable water and sewerage services to 4.9 million constituents and employs just over 6,000 workers. 

Common jobs in the water industry include:

  • water and wastewater operators
  • engineers
  • trades (plumbing, mechanical and electrical)
  • science/technical professionals
  • management and business support

The industry faces skills shortages in many of these roles. To find out more about qualifications to join the water industry, visit: www.qldwater.com.au/Skills_Vocational_Education.

Here we explore a typical day in the life of water industry employees: 

 

Spencer Stacey - Leading Hand Ganger

Spencer is a Water Industry Worker at Gold Coast Water and Waste, part of the City of Gold Coast. His role as a Leading Hand Ganger requires him to carry out planned and reactive maintenance work on the water and sewerage network.

Spencer enjoys solving customers’ water supply or wastewater issues and regularly receives high praise from customers for his professionalism and customer service.

Spencer loves learning new skills and taking on new challenges. He has been instrumental in establishing councils leak detection programme using the latest technology and this has allowed him and his team to plan their main laying and connection works.

Spencer is very focused on ensuring the health and safety of him and his team and has been trained in working in confined spaces, first aid and risk assessment. Training is an important part of his role and he is part of the Water Industry Worker development program.

Spencer was recognised as qldwater’s Operator of the Year (Civil/All-Rounder) in 2019.

Ali Sacipovic - Wastewater Treatment Operator

Ali Sacipovic is a Wastewater Treatment Operator with Fraser Coast Regional Council. He commenced a traineeship with council before securing a role as an Assistant Wastewater Treatment Operator and was then promoted to his current role. He is responsible for the operations of the Aubinville Sewerage Treatment Plant in Maryborough.

The plant was constructed almost 80 years ago and has had a number of augmentations since that time. Due to the age of some components and others reaching capacity, Ali faces a number of challenges operating the Aubinville STP while works are underway for further augmentations.

But Ali doesn’t let these constraints prevent improvements being made at an operational level and he believes that things can always be made better with a focus on continual improvement of practices to save time and money and increase safety. He is always eager to assist other team members and enthusiastically takes on roles with greater responsibility whenever there is an opportunity. 

Ali was announced as the qldwater Young Operator of the Year in 2019 and for his prize will join an operations tour to New Zealand in 2020.

 

Daniel Hales - Trainee Treatment Plant Operator

Daniel is completing a traineeship as a Treatment Plant Operator at Mareeba Shire Council. He assists the Water and Wastewater Treatment Team to provide safe drinking water and operate wastewater treatment plants while he studies his Certificate III Water Industry Treatment.

Prior to starting his water industry traineeship, Daniel had worked as a Banana Picking Supervisor but was concerned about the limited career opportunities and sought out a role with more variety and responsibility.

Daniel is now responsible for sorting out water treatment issues and restoring water treatment services in emergency situations. He helps fix leaks in the water network and works on specific projects to upgrade technologies and processes at treatment plants.

Daniel has learned to operate cutting edge technology and is learning how to operate the technology to monitor and control treatment plants remotely. He is also using his IT skills to help older members of the team learn new technology.

Daniel loves the variety, responsibility and teamwork in his new career and it has given him confidence in himself and his abilities to learn new skills and contribute in the workplace. Daniel received a highly commended award as part of the qldwater and WIOA awards in 2019 and will receive a scholarship to spend time at a wastewater treatment plant in Townsville.

Position Descriptions:

To view the roles of other Water Industry Employees, view our sample Position Descriptions under the Sample Documents tab in our Resource Library.