June 24, 2025 • 2 min read
Rise to the challenge: Erica Jensen on resilience and leadership
Energy Solutions – WA & NT
Perth, Australia
Erica Jensen credits her first role on site for giving her a strong foundation to launch her career journey. In her hometown of Perth, Australia, she graduated with a double degree in Mechanical Engineering and Physics. “I was fortunate to be selected for a competitive graduate program based on site, which gave me a practical and firsthand understanding of operational and field project execution challenges.”
A journey of growth and achievement
Driven by a passion for learning, Erica pursued a Master of Business Administration (MBA) midway through her engineering career, which sparked her natural interest in business management. “It was fortuitous I could leverage my MBA and make the shift from project execution into global business strategy and management within Worley.”
Erica has enjoyed a diverse career, spanning project execution, strategy development, market research, sales, business performance improvement, and now operations leadership for the WA & NT Energy Portfolio.
Her career has also taken her across the globe, allowing her to live and work in the UK, China, India, and the USA. Now back in her hometown of Perth, Erica cherishes being close to family. She takes pride in the dynamic career she’s created and the meaningful relationships she’s fostered along the way. “The overwhelming reason I enjoy my work is the great people I am fortunate to have worked with, and the amazing teams that I have been proud to be part of.”
Navigating challenges and cultivating relationships
As a female engineer in a predominantly male industry, Erica has navigated her career with resilience and insight. She believes Australia still faces many barriers to diversity and equity, including a notable lack of visible female leaders in key roles on boards and in parliament. And while industry has made strides since her graduation, there’s still a way to go. “Authentic inclusivity will still be a long journey for our industry.”
Erica confronted these obstacles head-on by cultivating relationships through formal programs and her proactive daily efforts. “By seeking feedback and asking for help, I’ve been able to build on my relationships and make a significant impact on my journey.”
Embracing leadership
Her advice to others is clear: “Be proactive. Actively seek out supporters, mentors, sponsors, and champions.” Erica believes that opportunities to build relationships and grow professionally are available to those who pursue them. She also advises embracing moments of vulnerability – they can lead to transformative career progress.
When it comes to inspiring women into to leadership roles, Erica speaks from her heart and is very encouraging. “Leadership has many different forms and styles. Let your natural approach guide you.” She urges women to seize opportunities, even those outside their comfort zones and skills sets. “Make the tough decision and go for it. Take a deep breath and put trust in yourself.”
Erica has shown how self-belief and actively seeking support has resulted in rewarding career, one that’s spanned multiple roles and countries.
