Top engineering gong for Kevin

THE Gladstone region's engineers took to the spotlight on Wednesday night as the best of the best took part in the annual 2008 Engineers Australia Local Engineering Awards

The awards are aimed at recognising the talents and skills of engineers from the local region and were presented by the Queensland president of Engineers Australia, Michael Ganza.

There was strong interest in the awards this year with nominations coming from Bechtel, Connell Wagner, GHD, Matrikon, NRG, Orica, Queensland Alumina Limited, Rio Tinto Alcan Yarwun, Thomas & Coffey and Worley Parsons.

The winner of Professional Engineer of the Year was Kevin Baillie from Bechtel. The winner of the Young Professional Engineer of the Year was Leah Barlow from Orica.

Kevin and Leah will both receive tickets, flights and accommodation to the Queensland Engineering Excellence Awards in Brisbane on October. 17

Kevin said yesterday he was humbled by the honour bestowed upon him by his peers.

The 63-year-old, who these days divides his time between Rio Tinto projects in Newcastle and Gladstone, has been in the profession for 39 years.

He moved to Gladstone in December 1969 and worked in various positions with QAL until 1998.

"Now it's a matter of seeing what I can do for the up-and-coming generation of engineers," he said.

"We have a wonderfully talented and capable bunch of engineers working in the profession working in an around Gladstone." Leah who is operations manager at Orica said she was excited with her win.

"It's an honour to have to gain such an award from such a talented group people." She said she enjoyed chemical engineering and business but didn't want to be stuck in a lab.

"It's great being out on the plant doing the implementation work and getting your hands dirty," she said.