A New Industry for io, and a New Challenge for Me
As I reflect on my placement year with io consulting, I have come to appreciate the importance of front-end loading. I have seen first-hand how the right framing, definition, and early decisions come to shape a project.
From my first day as a Development Consultant, I was welcomed into a collaborative, knowledgeable, and multidisciplinary team and the year that followed has been one of real personal growth and technical development.
Breaking into Lithium
Undoubtedly, the highlight of my year has been contributing to a project in a completely new industry for io. Faced with an exciting new challenge in direct lithium extraction (DLE), I was a part of the team that built io’s capability in this space from the ground up. What makes DLE stand out from io’s previous project expertise is the unique set of challenges. Infrastructure was a key enabler for this project, due to the remote high-altitude location. We were also faced with technical uncertainties associated with freshwater availability and brine chemistry. We helped guide the client through these challenges to deliver a project with sufficient definition to progress into front-end engineering design (FEED).
Lithium sits at the heart of the energy transition. It is the key component in the batteries that power electric vehicles and grid-scale storage, both of which are essential for reducing reliance on fossil fuels. It was incredibly rewarding to know that my work was delivering real-world value.
I was trusted to take an active role in framing and evaluating several concepts, with a real focus on decision quality. My contributions spanned concept definition, cost estimation, economic analysis, evaluation of environmental impacts, and sizing of equipment and utilities. Working on a multidisciplinary team pushed me well out of my comfort zone and allowed me to learn more than I thought possible.
Backed to Grow
io encouraged me to take on new challenges throughout the year, and I felt supported and empowered by the team at every stage. I am incredibly grateful for the mentorship I received, and io’s genuine commitment to its people has really made my experience special. There was no shortage of opportunities for me to stretch myself, whether that meant presenting to clients, developing new tools, or producing deliverables to a professional standard. Whatever challenge I took on, the team provided the guidance I needed to grow.
I would like to extend my appreciation to the whole team at io, but particularly Jessica Guzzetta-King and Danielle Hamel for their support, Mary Snowdon for her mentorship, and Jim Isherwood for his technical expertise. The generosity and patience of the team helped me feel genuinely valued and welcomed.
As I return to university, I will carry all the lessons I have learnt with me. My year at io has shaped the engineer I want to become: “one who can bring the technical knowledge and commercial judgement to tackle the challenges of the energy transition.”
