Intern profile - Benjamin Malik

Ben has always been drawn to the wonders of science and engineering so it’s no surprise that he holds a double degree in Science and Engineering from the University of New South Wales. He shares the most rewarding thing about his internship so far, and that is building relationships.

Describe your current role as an intern.

I’m currently working in the Production Facilities team at Longford, supporting the elimination of several redundant critical operating alarms with various plant modifications as well as the implementation of our new WMS guidelines for car sealing our critical safeguards.

My first project involves modelling different risk scenarios and developing project scopes to eliminate them. My second project involves ensuring the Operations team have the right information to install new car seals which is a way to secure valves in compliance with new guidelines. I’ve also been fortunate to step-up into the role of process engineer for a period of time, with my responsibilities being to provide technical monitoring, reviewing trends, identifying anomalies and helping to troubleshoot our Gas Plant 1 and Gas Conditioning Plant operations with the team.

What attracted you to our internship program?

I was attracted to the program due to the unique opportunity to work on-site at one of Australia’s most important pieces of energy infrastructure - Longford. I was also keen to experience working for a global company and a leader in the energy industry – both boxes that ExxonMobil ticks!

Relate your expectations before starting the program and your experiences so far.

Coming into this internship with high expectations, I can say they’ve been exceeded. I can confidently tell people that I’ve learnt just as much since the start of the program four months ago as I did in five years of studying at university. From a technical perspective – there’s nothing better than getting out in the field and seeing what those symbols on a drawing really mean! I can say I’ve used my university background from a technical perspective such as modelling temperatures across heat exchangers to identify low temperature risks, as well as how university has taught me to think more times than I could have imagined!  

I’ve also really enjoyed being able to build relationships – not only with other interns, but also with the Operations, Maintenance and leadership teams at Longford and Long Island Point (LIP). I’ve learnt so much from everyone and I feel lucky that I can utilise this experience for my career ahead.

What has been most rewarding about your internship so far?

The most rewarding thing so far has been that opportunity to build relationships particularly within my team and with the Operations, Maintenance and leadership teams at Longford and LIP. These relationships have helped me learn and grow as a person, as well as know who to ask when I have questions! I really enjoy hearing about their career journeys with the company and how much they enjoy what they do, and this inspires me to get out of bed in the morning. Being able to see a practical difference in my daily work has also been rewarding, whether it’s reducing the amount of time we spend fixing unreliable pilot lights to having the responsibility for technical monitoring for some of Longford’s plants.

How do you spend your time outside of work?

Since making the move to Sale, my hobbies have changed a little! I used to really enjoy playing squash and cricket and watching movies at the theatre. After moving, I’ve been spending my free time bushwalking, four-wheel driving and seeing the sights of East Gippsland and even a bit of birdwatching!

What advice would you give to others wanting to pursue a career in the industry?

My advice would be to grab that opportunity and go on site! I think there’s a wealth of opportunities in the industry, and the skills you learn as a graduate in this industry particularly on site - from stakeholder management to safety - translate across industries so well. This industry also has some of the best people I’ve had the privilege to work with, so I’d wholeheartedly recommend it!