Anam Balbolia

We asked Anam…

I would recommend a career in civil or infrastructure engineering because...

It's so broad that you're guaranteed not to get bored.

It's also multi-disciplinary, so you can choose to become an expert in a niche topic or retain a broader outlook for well-rounded projects.

Complete this phrase: I’m a civil engineer, but I’m also …

I’m also a friend and partner, an archer and traveller.

Name one civil or infrastructure engineering myth you'd like to bust.

That civil engineering is unglamorous and boring.

It's a prestigious and creative field to work in.

How does your role contribute to addressing climate change?

I work on public infrastructure projects where there's a lot of scrutiny on achieving the best possible outcomes in terms of net zero carbon emissions – even when considering value for money.

I review designs and appraise their carbon cost at the beginning. I then track it through scheme development and report on final values at completion.

This enables good governance of performance against local and national targets.

How does your role contribute to making the industry more diverse and inclusive?

Part of my work in the last few years has been on improving women's safety on the highway network.

This has been through site audits, especially at night, with expert recommendations provided for implementing change.

I have also written guidance on new design standards aimed at positively impacting diversity and inclusion as well as accessibility and carbon reduction within the industry.

What role does digital technology play in your job?

You need technology to do engineering in this age.

In my role, I touch a wide range of software (e.g. Auto CAD, geographic information systems (GIS), bespoke project management, etc). 

It's very helpful to have dedicated tools to undertake different tasks. However, getting up to speed with all the relevant ones takes time and skill.

What motivated you to become professionally qualified?

Since university, I was encouraged to consider working towards chartership, especially with the ICE as the golden standard.

Hence, company support towards professional qualification was a key criterion when I picked a company to work for post-graduation.

There, I signed up to a training agreement within months of joining and had regular catch ups with my mentor.

Having other young engineers to work alongside really helped boost my enthusiasm for submitting regular reports until I was fully signed off.

I still remember the pride I felt when I was recommended for the review and read my sponsors’ statements.

How did the ICE and your employer support you to become professionally qualified? 

I'm fortunate to have had the support of more senior, dedicated engineers along my path to professional qualification.

They spent time and effort reviewing my work, providing advice and generally acting as sounding boards.

I learnt so much about my own resilience and ability to grow from doing mock interviews, which could be quite the grilling.

How has being a member helped your career? 

The ICE is a powerhouse of engineering for fostering connections within and outside each industry.

Whether coming across people and striking up a conversation at the Members Resources Hub or attending a formal event, I always come out energised from engaging with the ICE.

In terms of career, the ICE has helped me shape what I wanted my career to look like while remaining flexible enough to take up opportunities along the way.

Do you have any personal causes?

I thoroughly enjoy volunteering and have been involved in different causes over the last 15 years.

You can find me trying to link engineering to social causes as much as possible and dedicating time to give back to communities.