Diversity and Inclusion
Diversity and Inclusion
At Fyfe we foster a culture that encourages and supports diversity and inclusion. We recognise and appreciate the unique backgrounds and attributes of each Fyfe employee and believe that this diversity strengthens our business and how we service our clients.
We have several initiatives and programs in place to encourage workforce diversity and extend our talent pool.
Our RAP - Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan
As a national firm working on projects in locations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, Fyfe aims to better understand First Nations’ contributions to history, their values and culture, and make a positive contribution to the communities in which we work.
Fyfe’s ‘Reflect’ Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) outlines the beginning of our journey towards a genuine and long-term plan for reconciliation.
This document describes what we have achieved, and our future aims in our commitment to further engage and collaborate with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across Australia.
The RAP is championed by our RAP committee with representatives from all areas of our operations, and nationally across regional and urban locations.
We acknowledge the traditional owners of country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea, and community. We pay our respects to them, their cultures, and to the elders both past and present.
Fyfe commissioned artwork by Dennis McCarthy
Bininj Name Murrwurruwurr
Skin Group Yirridja
Clan Ngomburr
Dennis has created a totem in conjunction with FYFE to capture our commitment to reconciliation.
The Kunwinjku style of art (cross hatching and ochre colours) represent Dennis’ and his son Bill’s (Fyfe Surveyor | Senior UAV Pilot, Darwin) family ties with the ancient land and culture throughout Kakadu. White ochre represents body decoration for ceremony, yellow for the sun, black for tribal markings and red for mother earth, ‘Yingarna’.
Fyfe offices around the country have also commissioned artworks from local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists.
Fyfe Internship Program
Fyfe has created an Internship and Undergraduate Program for First Nations peoples that commenced in 2021. The aim of the program was to create employment opportunities and career pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth by providing paid work experience, mentoring, training and financial support to see them through Year 12 all the way to the end of their tertiary journey (TAFE or University).
With the first engagement organised through the Hymba Yumba school in Springfield, Queensland, our two Jarjums (interns) have different career aspirations – one is exploring a career in corporate marketing and the other Jarjum has demonstrated a keen interest in surveying. We are excited to pursue this journey and provide career pathways for current and future students.
Acknowledging Our Traditional Landowners
Fyfe is proud to pay our respects to traditional land owners.
On a perfect dry season night in July 2021, over 100 clients and our people attended Fyfe’s annual Northern Territory client event where we were honoured to have Dr Richard Fejo and his team lead a traditional Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony.
As we continue our reconciliation journey, we will continue to involve local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in our activities in the areas we operate.
Working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses and communities
Fyfe has a long history of working for and with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses and communities, including:
- An extensive number of survey projects within the vast Northern Territory Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and homelands. Fyfe engages local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander personnel to assist in these projects.
- Fyfe is currently engaged by the Northern Territory Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics to provide project management services for remote and indigenous community capital projects on both mainland and offshore islands
Muddy Waters weed wash down services – Muddy Waters weed wash down services were a Chinchilla based business run by the Mandandanji people.
Gender Equality
Fyfe participates in the annual Workplace Gender Equality Agency Reporting and takes active steps in developing policies, processes and practices that encourage equality, career progression opportunities and active participation from males and females within our organisation.
International Women's Day 2023
This International Women’s Day (IWD), Fyfe is profiling a selection of our extraordinary female employees across our business divisions in celebration of the diverse talent of our team. Learn more about their roles, contributions, career paths, and why #IWD2023 resonates with them.
What our people say about diversity and inclusion at Fyfe
Bill Mitchell
Surveyor | Senior UAV Pilot
Clan – Ngumbur
Country - South Alligator, NT
What’s diversity like at Fyfe?
Fyfe embraces diversity and the importance of a culturally inclusive work environment. Fyfe is continuously working on diversity as a company, particularly through our RAP Committee which I am a proud member of. We have a number of initiatives rolling out, including getting other indigenous people like myself even more involved with the company. I’m proud to be a part of this work and proud that Fyfe is prioritising reconciliation within the business.
How has your manager supported your career progression at Fyfe?
My managers’ have been a huge support in my career progression. In addition to the help and advice I receive from them every day, I was put through my UAV course to become a certified drone pilot. This allowed me to plan and work on some exciting jobs outside traditional surveying.
How would you describe the Fyfe culture?
Fyfe has a great culture. Everyone tries to help each other as much as possible and there’s a good team ethic within the company nationwide. Many jobs I’ve worked on interstate, and Teams meetings I’ve been a part of with other offices really come together quite seamlessly, due to the great character FYFE instils across all the offices I’ve been lucky enough to work with.
What do you love about the work that you do?
I love the variety of work that Fyfe offers. One day I might be flying a UAV in a restricted airspace (with the formal approvals) and have to plan a safe way to do the job effectively, the next it could be a detail survey in the middle of the bush for a new road or infrastructure that is yet to be built.
I love working remotely, as it has to be well-planned while still thinking on the fly. It’s a nice feeling of accomplishment when the more challenging jobs are delivered to a high standard, on time with a happy client.
What would you tell a prospective graduate or employee about working at Fyfe?
Working at Fyfe, particularly in the Darwin office is an excellent opportunity where most often, no two days are the same. We’re a team that always welcomes anyone that has a positive attitude and wants to learn. One day you might be setting out a house in a remote community, the next you could be flying a UAV in the middle of a city. The variety always keeps it interesting.
Donya Mousavi
Senior Electrical and Instrumentation Engineer
I started at Fyfe in 2020 after moving to Australia from Iran. Previously I was working as an Instrumental and Control Engineer for eight years.
Fyfe made starting my first job in Australia an easy transition. I have been so impressed by the friendly and welcoming atmosphere at Fyfe and I also found the people in Australia to be so nice, which helps me when I am missing my family in Iran.
My role here has given me the opportunity to work with top tier clients but one of my highlights at Fyfe so far has to have been participating in a basic design project for Central Petroleum and then winning the detailed design from the project. It is great to feel trusted and valued by my team leader and manager to be able to be work on such interesting and valuable client projects.
While I have a variety of experience from working in the energy and resources sector in Australia and Iran, there is still always more to learn and working in a highly experienced and knowledgeable team allows me to enhance my knowledge and skills every day.
Fyfe provides their employees with a friendly work environment and fun work culture. Earlier this year, some colleagues and I took part in Fyfe’s run club and trained together for the Brisbane Marathon.
If you are looking for a positive working environment and opportunities for career development, Fyfe is the right place!
Christelle Montemayor
Senior Process Engineer
Fyfe’s diversity comes in different forms – culture, personalities, and technical expertise. People at Fyfe embrace all these differences to learn from each other.
I have been given opportunities to hone my technical and leadership skills, and a chance to discover more of my interests. I feel as though Fyfe has not only been the perfect workplace for me, but the perfect playground, where I can reach for the bars without being afraid of hurting myself. Fyfe is a safe place where I can learn and try things, knowing that my managers and my colleagues have my back.
I love that we do coffees and lunches together, we celebrate birthdays, have barbeques, and sometimes even go out for dinner! People here are approachable, it’s easy to ask them questions, and they’re always happy to help you learn.
It has been great working with Fyfe and seeing it grow not just in numbers but its capabilities and strengths. Fyfe would not be Fyfe if not for its people.
Muhammad Qayyum
Project Manager
Initially, I landed a role as a mechanical engineer at Fyfe. This gave me an insight to energy and resources piping engineering design and surveying. I worked on quite a few engineering designs in my first 6 months, when eventually an opportunity arose internally for a project engineer. This for me was a turning point as I felt I really had to decide if I wanted to go down a technical or more commercial path.
Project management was never a career I had thought about. After graduating from the University of Adelaide, I gained experience in a sales-based role, and then a quality officer role where I developed my soft skills in the engineering space. The experiences I had in these roles allowed me to develop my communication skills, stakeholder management and the ability to pitch ideas effectively. Prior to working at Fyfe, I had worked for a lot of project managers which inspired me to complete my cert 4 in project management.
Now, as a project manager I love that I get a taste of everything from project initiation to execution and closeout. As a project manager, you need to understand the bigger picture to support and drive your team to deliver successful project outcomes. I have been able to work in the Fyfe’s Energy and Resources division, delivering projects for big clients including Santos and Beach. I enjoy the challenge of managing the commercial aspects as well as liaising with internal and external stakeholders for our projects. I love talking so I find my outgoing personality greatly assists me in my role as a PM.
Fyfe has created a respectful and safe workplace for all employees. I enjoy being able to work with colleagues from different cultural backgrounds, upbringings, and viewpoints in a collaborative environment. It is a great strength of the company that despite any differences, we come together to unite and always deliver as a team. I have now been working in the project management space for nearly 2 years at Fyfe and can whole heartedly say it has been the best decision for me.
