In 2022: — we look ahead to what’s next. What’s new on the table? I asked one of my clients this question recently and she said ‘daring to question everything and the existing order of things’. And, at a time of pandemics, wars and environmental crisis, we’re also questioning our values. For large organisations and leaders, it’s having to rethink conventions and what needs to pivot that can lead to creating new value. That drives innovation. Something new that creates value. Yes, that could be a new product, of course. But it can also be a new process, a new workflow – as I learnt from Anna Bridgman and Louisa Bloomer who are inspiring and empowering their teams at Stantec with new ways of looking at problems. Where alongside technology-led solutions, it’s the diversity in thinking, experience and passion that works to find new approaches to projects.

What’s the point of view from the digital practice, for your workforce now and importantly into the future?

Louisa: A lot has changed. There’s a lot more understanding of what is possible. Already people coming out of University and school are way more empowered by digital know how - every degree has some element of digital in it, or some discussion about innovation or efficiency gains. You can study anything but if you have a real passion for that side of things, it will come through in how you approach something. For example, we had someone who had done biology as their major, but for their final paper they had done this amazing coding to predict the tidal flows and you could see they were passionate about the ability to automate something and understand the environment. It’s that passion that I think employers are looking for at the moment in the digital spaces - do you enjoy the coding or do you enjoy improving things, do you enjoy the technical aspects? In my group I’m less looking at the type of degree and more around what are they passionate about and where do they put their time and interests.

How has the work evolved and changed the way you balance the needs of your teams - all the designers, planners, engineers, scientists and project managers, and deliver on work outcomes?

Anna: From a standard engineering project management background I’ve had to push and get more involved and understand the different aspects of my teams and what they can offer the clients and making sure that I’m putting the effort in with those people, and sharing the knowledge both within my lower North Island team and across the whole of New Zealand as well, and that the cool stuff we do out of Wellington also gets shared with the teams in Christchurch or Dunedin or Auckland so they can take advantage of it. It is a much more diverse team. I think when I started 95% of people had an engineering degree of some sort or a bachelor of technology, and we’re probably looking at 50/50 of those now with other degrees - maths, science, geography, all types are in the team these days. I think this is also reflected in the client organisations, the different people that are coming into their teams as well, so they also appreciate just having that range of thoughts.

Chris McKinney

Managing Director at Technical Futures
New Zealand’s leading independent Technical Recruiter and Search Practice

I own a dynamic technical and executive recruitment consultancy called Technical Futures, just hit reply and say hello — you can view our Stantec roles here. I host the TechTalk podcast, you can also connect with me on LinkedIn and +64 21 990 271.

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