Back to People Spotlight: Meet Our Team
Buildings & StructuresBuilding StructuresQueensland
Tonkin's People Spotlight gives you behind the scenes insights about the technical specialists in our business.
Tom Oliver is Tonkin’s Queensland Operations Manager, and a Principal Structural Engineer. While he’s primarily based in Tonkin’s Sunshine Coast office, Tom also spends time with Tonkin’s Brisbane team and further afield across our national offices in his role as a member of Tonkin’s Senior Leadership Team.
Tom Oliver is Tonkin’s Queensland Operations Manager, and a Principal Structural Engineer. While he’s primarily based in Tonkin’s Sunshine Coast office, Tom also spends time with Tonkin’s Brisbane team and further afield across our national offices in his role as a member of Tonkin’s Senior Leadership Team.
What made you choose structural engineering over other engineering disciplines?
I actually fell into structural engineering more than any other discipline. After graduation, I had to find a role that would let me move from Melbourne to Brisbane to be with my then girlfriend (now wife), and I got an opportunity to work with a great Principal Structural Engineer in a good firm, so I just took it. I stuck with structural engineering and then added a dash of civil as the heart of it is about trying to solve a problem with other people to help someone with some technical smarts.
What is a typical day in your role as Operations Manager in Queensland?
My workday varies a lot from day to day. Sometimes I’m doing project work, often I’m supporting the team, sometimes it’s a more strategic focus. Primarily I’m working in our Sunshine Coast office, and sometimes I’m in Tonkin’s Brisbane office. But what is typical, is that I’m always dealing with people and building strong relationships. That’s something I really like about my role.
Tell us about your career journey at Tonkin
My career journey at Tonkin has been one where I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of opportunities. I’ve been presented with the opportunity to take on more responsibilities here in Queensland and across the organisation more broadly. I’ve been part of many of the professional development opportunities that Tonkin offers, including the Leadership Development Program. So, I have had a lot of opportunities to progress my skills in the time that I’ve been here, and that’s something that I really like about Tonkin; our people are supported to grow and take on more responsibility on a pathway that works for each individual.
What gets you most excited about the future at Tonkin?
The thing that is most exciting for me is that within Queensland especially, we have a massive opportunity to grow the business to a size and scale that replicates the success and capacity of our head office in Adelaide. With that growth comes more opportunities for our team members to develop in their careers. With the growth that’s happening in Queensland, both inside and outside the realm of the 2030 Olympics, it’s an exciting time to be an engineer.
Get in touch with Tom if you’re in need of an engineer in Queensland or interested in joining the Tonkin team.