Construct your own future

Nobody told Aleacia Olm not to climb a tree in the playground, nor did she have a classmate’s notes to copy or constant technology to rely on. Homeschooled along with her four siblings, this fostered in Aleacia a sense of independence, cognitive thinking and problem-solving nuance. “I loved being homeschooled — it gave me valuable tools that a lot of society is now missing,” Aleacia says. “It taught me to use my mind before using technology to work out a problem. “And not to always rely on the built environment to come back and feed you with stimulation.” Humble and well-spoken, this young woman has ten years’ experience under her belt in the engineering field and has just received her recommendation to be cleared as a Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland. “It means I will be able to sign off on designs in my area of practice and have people under me who I can directly supervise,” Aleacia says. So what inspired the journey from her parents’ cattle and small crop farm in the Lockyer Valley to a position involved with Australia’s agricultural and energy sector projects? “I was always a little of the mindset of being in the building environment,” Aleacia says. “I remember from a young age mum had career books and not a lot sprung out at me, but civil engineer when I was about seven stuck out at me. “I also looked into construction management and being a chippy but mum said had to get a degree.” When Aleacia took out this year’s Women in Business Rising Star Award it was a source of great pride to her family. “Mum was incredibly proud, she saw me in a different light and said she never realised I was so ambitious in my field and she thinks it’s nice to see all the hard work recognised.” “Sometimes for me, they don’t understand exactly what I do, so through society recognition it shows them my role in the community.” The award is given only when judges deem a candidate stands out from other categories. It commends an entrepreneurial spirit, courage and the self-belief and tenacity to know and follow your own dreams. It hasn’t always been an easy climb upwards however, with Aleacia experiencing moments of great doubt and loss of direction. In her second year of her engineering degree Aleacia hated it and confessed to her mum she didn’t want to be there. “I thought, what is the purpose of this degree?” Aleacia’s mum advised her to speak to people in the industry, and flipping through The Chronicle one morning they found an article on engineer Nadia Ives (nee Rhodes). “I went for a coffee with her and she helped me work through the reasons I was doing this,” Aleacia says. “She helped me work out the end goal was why, and the reason was there. “It’s better to ask for help when you are struggling than to just keep going, a chat can change your life, honestly.” Aleacia now applies the same mentoring in her own life. “I mentor a woman called Danielle Davey, she is younger than me so I took her under my wing and helped her find her niche”. “I like to work with people building their confidence to talk with people so they can start conversations with their clients or a boss.” Aleacia believes everybody has a position and a purpose in life. “You know that position is already in your genetics — you just need to build the trust in yourself and know that you can do it.” “And when you can’t, there are people there to guide you and help you realise that the strength is already there.” In the meantime, Aleacia is inspiring other women the best way she knows how; by getting on with it. “I take a project from start to finish; I come up with conceptual stuff — layouts of sites, the preliminary design and then a team helps on the overall project.” “I’ve worked from the Northern Territory down to Melbourne in the agricultural sector and have projects under construction in remote sites.” As for being a female in a male-centric industry, Aleacia takes an approach based on merit not gender. “I’m not out there to push my ‘I’m female I can do everything’ because I know I can’t. “But I know we are equal in our brains and ability so I don’t really need to prove myself with guys who don’t think that.”

It’s better to ask for help when you are struggling than to just keep going, a chat can change your life, honestly