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Natalie Davenport

from Cashier to Consultant
I create CAD drawings for trenchless excavation projects
Industry
Construction and infrastructure
Company
Systra
Job Level
Mid

Ask me about

  • Moving across the world
  • Choosing engineering as a degree option
  • What it's like being a woman in a male-dominated field

About me

  • International Experience

I grew up in sunny Florida, where I was fortunate to discover my passion early on. I was inspired by my dad, a Mechanical Engineer, I knew I wanted to follow in his footsteps. At 18, I took a leap of faith and moved to Sydney to pursue my studies at Sydney University. I graduated post-COVID and was thrilled to land a job at SYSTRA. Now, I’m enjoying both my career and life, all while sharing my adventures with my cat, Waffles.

About my role

  • Practical
  • Relaxed
  • Resourceful
  • Trusting
  • Understanding

A consultant collaborates with a diverse range of clients to tackle specific challenges they face. Typically, consultants possess deep expertise in a particular field, enabling them to provide insights and solutions that clients may not achieve on their own. Their specialised knowledge brings a valuable perspective, ensuring that complex problems are addressed effectively and efficiently.

Education

  • Bachelors of Mechanical Engineering (Honours)

Subjects

  • Art
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • English
  • Languages
  • Physical Education
  • Physics
  • Psychology

Hobbies

  • Cooking
  • Gym
  • Reading
  • Seeing family and friends
  • Travel

Pets

  • 1 Cat

15 year old me!!

“Take risks, make mistakes, and learn from them—they’re all part of the journey.”

My career journey

Curious to know how I got here? Here’s a snapshot of my career pathway.
  1. Grew up in America
  2. Decided to move to Sydney for uni
  3. Opportunity presented itself at SYSTRA
  4. Finished the grad program
  5. Was offered a full time role

My typical day

My employer

SYSTRA ANZ is a world leading consulting and engineering firm specialising in transportation, security and mobility solutions. We are part of the SYSTRA Group, which has operated globally since 1957. Working on more than 3,500 projects in 80 countries we have helped build over half of the world’s metro systems and high-speed lines and we are utilising that knowledge to also deliver some of the largest and most complex projects. Our challenge is to design and implement the safest, most efficient and most secure solutions for our clients. We want to be the signature team for transport solutions. Our services are unique, we work on all stages of projects: upstream studies and planning, design, construction, integration, test and commissioning, operations and maintenance. We are members of the Diversity Council of Australia, Pride in Diversity and have been endorsed by Work180.