Ten years ago, GrainCorp Process Engineer Trang Tran took a chance – on a new career path and industry, through a company that offered a graduate program.

A decade later, she’s a seasoned process engineer, driving capital projects and continuous improvement at our West Footscray site.

With a chemical engineering degree from RMIT and three years in the oil and gas industry, Trang was seeking a more hands-on role.

“I wanted site-based experience,” says Trang. “GrainCorp’s graduate program offered the chance to work in a state-of-the-art plant, and I jumped at it.

“My first role involved commissioning new equipment and running product trials, which was an exciting and challenging start.

“It was my first time commissioning, and things didn’t always go to plan,” says Trang. “But I stayed resilient. I loved the hands-on nature of the work and the opportunity to learn.”

Trang quickly progressed, moving from Operations into the Process Engineering team.

“Over the years, I’ve worked across both the spreads plant and the refinery, gaining deep technical knowledge and leading projects that improve efficiency, reduce waste, and enhance sustainability,” Trang says.

“There’s always something new to learn – even after 10 years, I’m still discovering new aspects of the plant and its processes.”

In 2020, Trang was seconded to New Zealand for four months to support a clean-in-place upgrade project and various site continuous improvement projects – an experience she describes as a career highlight.

“It was a great opportunity to apply what I’d learned through my time at West Footscray and support the team at East Tamaki with things like margarine and spreads processing and troubleshooting.”

After returning from maternity leave this year, Trang is now providing process engineering and detailed design support for a new deodoriser at West Footscray, part of a major capital investment.

“Being involved from the beginning and seeing your design come to life is incredibly rewarding,” Trang says.

Looking ahead, Trang’s focused on deepening her understanding of the plant and its logistics.

“There’s still so much to learn,” Trang says.

“I’m interested in learning more about the R&D and commercial side to the products we make.”

Her advice to new grads?

“Keep an open mind and stay resilient. Challenges will come, but if you work hard, opportunities will follow.”

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