Keen to learn and ready for anything. Bianca’s all in on Vision Academy.

When Bianca (pictured centre) first joined Vision Surveys for a Year 10 work experience placement, she had no idea it would turn into a career. She spent her school holidays shadowing the Vision Surveys Rockhampton team, learning what surveying involved and what life on site looked like. Two years later, she’s now a Vision Academy cadet, working full time, studying and helping deliver projects across Central Queensland.

“I did work experience in Year 10 and just kept coming back,” Bianca said. “I really liked that mix of being out in the field and then coming into the office to understand what you’d just done and why.”

Learning by doing

After finishing school, Bianca joined Vision Surveys full time and recently celebrated her two-year milestone. She’s now completing her first semester of an associate degree in surveying through the Vision Academy program, which supports training surveyors as they learn and study on the job.

“I didn’t start studying straight away,” she said. “I wanted to get some experience first and that really helped. Everything I learn at uni makes more sense because I’ve already seen it in the field.”

The support from the team has helped her connect her studies with her work. “Some of the subjects we’re doing, like detailed surveys, are things I get to work on every week,” Bianca said. “Wade [Vision Surveys, Chief Operating Officer] actually gave me a heads up recently about an upcoming subject and how it ties into what we’re doing on site, which makes it easier to understand before I even start it.”

At the Rockhampton office, Bianca works closely with Chief Operations Officer Wade Elliott, who has supported her development and watched her confidence grow.

As Wade reflected on Bianca’s time with Vision Surveys, he said, “Bi came to us straight out of school and just got it. Her enthusiasm and willingness to learn set her apart, and she’s become an important part of the team. With her studies now underway, I can see her growing into a senior leader in the years ahead.”

Encouraging more women into surveying

Surveying isn’t a job most young women hear about at school, but Bianca hopes that changes. Her own path started with curiosity and a chance to try something new and it’s become a career she genuinely enjoys.

Across Australia, women make up only around five per cent of the surveying workforce, according to Jobs and Skills Australia. The Vision Surveys team is helping shift that by opening doors for more women to build a career in surveying through Vision Academy. 

For Bianca, it’s about the mix of being outdoors on site and learning the technical side in the office. It keeps her challenged and constantly learning. She also credits the team culture for making it a place where anyone can succeed.

“I’d tell other girls to give it a go,” she said. “It’s not your average job and that’s what makes it great. You get to work outdoors, travel and be part of projects that make a difference. Everyone here is supportive and it’s a career that can take you anywhere.”

Pride in the work

For Bianca, one of the most rewarding parts of surveying is seeing the result of her work come to life.

“It’s always cool to drive past a site and think, I helped build that,” she said. “You start to notice how things are built and how everything fits together. It gives you a new appreciation for what’s around you.”

That sense of pride comes from being part of the process, from setting out to seeing the finished site. Whether she’s working alongside the team on the ground or reducing data back in the Rockhampton office, Bianca takes every opportunity to learn something new.

Finding balance

Outside of work, Bianca plays for Bluebirds United FC, whose team recently took out the FQPL Central Coast Women’s Champions finals. Between soccer, surfing and spending time with family, she finds time to recharge and stay active outside work.

“The work life balance here is really good. The team is understanding if you’ve got study or life commitments,” she said. “It makes it easier to stay motivated when you know you’re supported.”

As she continues her studies through the Vision Academy, Bianca will become a recognised Associate Surveyor through Vision Surveys and the Surveyors Board of Queensland. She proudly represents the next generation of female surveyors building their future in regional Queensland, one project, learning opportunity and site at a time.