28th January 2026: Soft Skills for Early Career Technical Professionals: The Hidden Catalyst for Career Growth
Presenter: Hailey Spry (Murphy) | Principal Environmental Scientist, Contaminated Land Auditor (Qld) | JBS&G.
Host Venue: Aecom
Appreciation is extended to Hailey for her time and expertise in delivering the workshop for ACLCA Early Career Professionals (ECPs). It was a brilliant opportunity for all participants.
Thank you to Tess Watson (ECPSc Chair), Rebecca Lauterbach (ECPSc member) and the ECP Committee for organising and inviting Hailey to present on this valuable topic.
Overview:
In a field where technical expertise is essential, soft skills can be a differentiator for success. This interactive session, led by Hailey was designed for early career professionals in contaminated land who are starting to shape their career direction or transitioning into project management and leadership roles.
Through personal stories and practical insights, Hailey explored:
- Why soft skills matter just as much as technical skills
- Common myths and blind spots in early career development
- How communication, adaptability, and emotional intelligence can accelerate your growth
- Simple, actionable ways to start building these skills
Participant feedback:
Phoebe Hird, HSE Consultant, Prensa
ACLCA ECPs had the pleasure of learning from Contaminated Land Auditor and Principal, Hailey Spry (Murphy), this January. The event had fantastic turn out and engagement, highlighting the ECPs drive to learn and develop their soft skills. Despite her senior and well-respected role, Hailey shared her early struggles with key soft skills, and her honesty, openness and real-world experiences immediately resonated with the ECPs. Hailey went on to explain the importance of soft skills, such as adaptability, emotional intelligence and leadership, and more importantly how we can develop these skills. Hailey’s perspective on addressing these challenges in everyday work gave me renewed optimism as an ECP. She highlighted the value of learning to adapt communication styles with colleagues, clients, and subcontractors, skills we are already applying in our day-to-day interactions. Ultimately, Hailey’s talk reinforced for ECPs that soft skills—often overlooked in a technically important industry—are essential catalysts for career growth and long-term success.
Marilia De Souza Menezes, Consultant Hydrogeologist | Strategic Water Services, Epic Environmental
“Hailey Spry’s contribution to the ACLCA ECP soft skills workshop was particularly impactful, as she shared honest reflections from her own career and highlighted how essential soft skills are in the contaminated land industry. Her openness about early challenges and growth made her message relatable to me, and her emphasis on communication, adaptability, and emotional intelligence showed how these skills support effective teamwork and client relationships. Her insights reinforced that technical knowledge alone is not enough, and that developing strong soft skills is key to long-term professional success.” Thanks for putting together such a great event!
