Reconciliation Takes Action: South East Water and the Barring Djinang summer internship program

Japheth Langerak joined South East Water on the Barring Djinang summer internship program, which is part of a five-year Victorian government strategy to enhance Aboriginal employment outcomes across the public sector and runs from 2019 through to 2024. Japheth’s indigenous family originates from Tasmania (known as Palawa), tracing back to Ben Lomond (NE Tasmania).

After completing his Mechanical Engineering Degree at Monash University Japheth worked as an intern with the South East Water Resource Recovery team. This led to a position in the South East Water graduate program, working on the upgrade of the Boneo Treatment Plant.

‘’My internship timing was perfect as it gave me exposure to the major construction phase of the Boneo Treatment Plant Upgrade. I learnt a tremendous amount on the field, and in the office. There are so many dynamic pieces in a large-scale project, so learning how my role integrates with the wider team was an invaluable learning that could only be taught through direct experience,” said Japheth.

“The internship gave me the opportunity I was looking for to strengthen my professional and technical skills for future employment, but thankfully resulted in a full time position in the graduate program at South East Water.” As a proud Palawa man from Tasmania, Japheth continues to make a contribution to South East Water as a graduate engineer, bringing not only his technical skills and experience with him, but his indigenous knowledge of the land and water ways.