Dhakshana Nadarajah

Dhakshana Nadarajah is a finance graduate working in our finance and accounting team in Sydney. 
She studied commerce at Macquarie University in Sydney, majoring in accounting and marketing management, graduating in 2021.

What made you choose the CIMIC Group Graduate Program?

“When I did my research about CIMIC, I was drawn to the company because of their great innovational projects that help the community for the long term and that’s what I love about UGL. I wanted to be part of that process because they are always looking for ways to do things better.” 

On the CIMIC Group Graduate Program, UGL offers structured on-the-job training, guided learning plans and leadership mentoring. Over the two-year program, graduates will have two 12-month rotations providing access to different sectors as well as projects, leading to greater opportunities to build their career.

Tell us about your first rotation? 

“My first rotation was with CPB Contractors for a major transport project in NSW, a joint venture between CPB and UGL. I was doing project accounting which involved forecasting, budgeting, inventory management and fuel tax credit, I was learning lots of different things. It was so different to what I am doing now because it was a project and had different deliverables. I really enjoyed that experience as a finance graduate as I wasn’t just stuck behind a desk. The management there was awesome; I was given access to go onsite to better understand the background of where the financials were coming from. To experience the project in person was eye opening. I am so grateful for the opportunity.”

Where is your current rotation?

“I am at UGL’s North Sydney office in the finance and accounting corporate team, currently working on workers compensation. Being at a different company is great because I get to learn about all the business units. Seeing how the relationships of all CIMIC companies work together is especially enjoyable.” 

Do you have any mentors?

“I have been really lucky with my rotations, because I have met lots of great people. I know that I will be talking to them even after this grad program. My managers have been so supportive because they all ensured I am always learning and growing. I have learnt so many lessons from the teams that I have been with, and I will continue to keep learning a lot from them in the future as well.”

What advice do you have for graduates joining the program?

“Do everything with an open heart and get excited! Just be open to learning and experiencing new ideas, put your hand up for an opportunity that comes your way because you never know what to expect out of it. Expect to meet a lot of people from different backgrounds, I am really excited for our future grads to see how they are able to work collaboratively with different teams and people of different study backgrounds. There are always lessons in what you do.”