Canaan Setefano’s journey with Project New Grad

I’m a proud Kiwi-born Samoan, with roots in Fasito’otai, Lufilufi, Fa’atoia and Avao. I've called Onehunga, Auckland home for most of my life and went to St Peter’s College. This year, I graduated with a BE in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Auckland and I’ve just started my journey as a Project New Grad with the New Zealand Northern Water team at GHD.

I’d say like most Kiwi boys, I dreamed of becoming an All Black and playing in the World Cup. I also had ambitions of being a famous musician or producer, thanks to growing up playing the piano and drums. But, as you know, times change, and you realise that some childhood dreams are a bit more out of reach than you’d hoped… though, never say never!

As a kid, I was obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine and fascinated by how trains worked, especially the fast ones. That was probably the first spark that ignited my interest in Mechanical Engineering. In high school, I really enjoyed mathematics and had a natural interest in design, so pursuing engineering at university just felt like the right path.

One of the great things about working at GHD is the chance to be part of projects beyond Aotearoa New Zealand. Right now, I’m involved in a project in Gawler, South Australia, where we’re upgrading a 1.28ML water supply reservoir with a new 3ML concrete tank. I’m part of the team handling the Civil and Mechanical design, and my role includes incorporating feedback from our client, South Australia Water and the McConnell Dowell Diona Joint Venture.

I’ve been working closely with our senior engineers to ensure our design meets South Australian Water standards. I’ve also had the opportunity to collaborate with our Manila office, tapping into their CAD modeling expertise to deliver detailed drawings. This experience has taught me how to effectively communicate design directions through an iterative process until everything is clearly laid out on the drawings.

A goal of mine is to one day book a flight to Gawler and see the project in person!

I’d say one of the biggest things I’ve learned is that university is just 5% of what you’ll experience in the Engineering industry. Working in an engineering consultancy has shown me how crucial it is to develop traits like transparent communication and the ability to learn as much as you can from those with more experience. These skills will take you further than any university coding paper ever could.

As a first-year grad, GHD is my starting point and in the past six months, I’ve already learned so much in the Technical Design space. With more project involvement on the horizon, I’m excited to see what the rest of the year has in store.

Every few months, Project New Grads from different companies get together for presentation evenings where we share what we’ve been working on. With my next rotation at Fulton Hogan (Contracting) in 2025, I’m really looking forward to transitioning from detailed design work at GHD to seeing those designs come to life in the field at Fulton Hogan.

They say most of the learning happens in the ‘doing’ and I’m definitely finding that to be true. Being part of various projects across the three waters, there’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of sending off deliverables to the client. It makes you really proud of the team and the work you’ve done together. It almost feels like all those late-night study sessions and assignments during uni were totally worth it in the end.

I always go back to my Pasifika roots and the belief that ‘it takes a village to raise a child.’ The values and beliefs my grandparents and parents instilled in me from a young age feel more relevant than ever in today’s industry. There’s a Samoan proverb, ‘I le ala o le pule o le tautua,’ which means ‘the pathway to leadership is through service.’ It’s easy to get caught up in deadlines, costs and hours when working on projects, but it’s humbling to remember that our work serves a greater purpose—to serve the community through our technical delivery.

So, I’m grateful to my grandparents and parents for all I’ve accomplished so far, especially in my career. They keep me grounded, reminding me to never forget where I come from.

Make the most of every opportunity that comes your way because you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.