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Annabel Hofstee

from dream of being a Physio to Sustainability and Risk Strategist
Enhancing liveability and the environment for the future.
Industry
Water and Waste
Company
Urban Utilities
Job Level
Mid
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Ask me about

  • My passion for the environment and creating a career from it
  • Leaving Central Queensland to start uni
  • Starting as a Civil Engineer but finding a love of envionmental design

About me

  • International Experience
  • Regional Background

I am an Environment and Planning Engineer with Urban Utilities, and graduated with a Dual Civil and Environmental Engineering Degree. 

Starting with a dream of being a physiotherapist, I changed my University preferences on a whim, seeking a future that would challenge and excite me. I then travelled from my family in Central Queensland and into the big city of Brisbane on my own to pave my future. Initially I started a job in construction, targeting the development of shops, skyscrapers and warehouse galore – until I realised I wanted more…

I then followed my passion for understanding and embracing the environment, and in 2018 I joined Urban Utilities. This is where I am today, helping many more graduates that have come through, and developing strategies for the organisation to lead the charge in fostering the environment now and into the future – the perfect fusion of engineering, problem solving, and people centric design.

About my role

  • Curious
  • Imaginative
  • Innovative
  • Logical
  • Understanding

As a Sustainability and Risk Strategist, my main goals are to protect people and the environment, and find ways to simultaneously bring mutual benefits to both.

This role is constantly looking to the future and what changes are needed to be made now, so that we can to build and adapt communities into the future. This will ensure that they are clean, sustainable, great places to live – all whilst being resilient to changing climates, changing demands, new technology and honouring all cultures.

A Sustainablility and Risk Strategist uses engineering skills but in a way that contributes to the community and looks beyond ‘traditional’ engineering of pipes, pumps and construction. People in this role are passionate about water and sewage services, because in the end – all living things need water.

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Education

  • High School Certificate
  • Graduate Certificate Digital Communication (Current)
  • Bachelor of Engineering (Civil & Environmental)

Subjects

  • Building and Construction Skills
  • Business Studies
  • Chemistry
  • Earth and Environmental Science
  • Engineering/Engineering Skills
  • Mathematical Methods (Maths B)
  • Physics
  • Specialist Mathematics (Maths C)

Awards

  • Innovation Award – An Urban Utilities Award for supporting and constructively progressing a large amount of innovation projects

Hobbies

  • Hiking
  • Netball
  • Seeing family and friends

Pets

  • 1 Dog

15 year old me!!

“Just do YOU. You are your most important supporter and impressing yourself is what’s important. Your path doesn’t have to look like everyone else's.”

My career journey

Curious to know how I got here? Here’s a snapshot of my career pathway.
  1. 2013 – Finished High School
  2. Started my first role as a Project Engineer in Construction and Finished University
  3. Follow my environmental passion and start at Urban Utilities as a Graduate Engineer
  4. Accepted position as Environment and Planning Engineer and stayed on with Urban Utilities
  5. Promoted to Sustainability and Risk Specialist with Urban Utilities

My typical day

My employer

Urban Utilities is one of the largest water distributor-retailers in Australia, supplying drinking water, recycled water and sewerage services to a population of more than 1.5 million in South East Queensland.