Restarting the Aercoustics-Marshall Day Employee Exchange
Employees experience work & life half-way around the world.
In 2015, while on sabbatical in Australia, an Aercoustics employee—eager to explore her passion for acoustics in a new cultural and professional environment—began searching for a short-term consulting opportunity. During her time abroad, she connected with the team at Marshall Day Acoustics, planting the seed for what would later become the Aercoustics–Marshall Day Employee Exchange Program.
Marshall Day Acoustics, based primarily in Australia and New Zealand, proved to be a natural partner for Aercoustics. With over 40 years of experience and a reputation for delivering exceptional acoustic design, the firm has contributed to landmark projects such as the new symphony hall at the Philharmonie de Paris and the restoration of Christchurch Town Hall, which reopened following extensive damage from the 2011 earthquakes. Aercoustics, bringing a similar depth of expertise, collaborative spirit, and strong foundation in technical innovation—saw clear alignment in values and vision. The exchange program was a natural next step in building a deeper relationship between the two firms fostering global exchange programs for engineers.
Now, nearly 10 years later, the exchange program between Aercoustics and Marshall Day continues to thrive, offering employees the unique opportunity to work abroad and broaden their acoustics expertise. By temporarily joining the other firm, team members gain valuable technical experience and fresh perspectives – all while enjoying a bit of adventure in the process. These immersive opportunities are part of what makes working abroad as an acoustic engineer so rewarding.
Restarting after the pandemic
Following a few successful exchanges and overwhelmingly positive feedback from every party involved, Aercoustics and Marshall Day formalized their employee exchange program, solidifying it as a valuable opportunity for personal and professional growth. Then, as many other international initiatives experienced, the program was halted during the pandemic due to travel restrictions.
Once Aercoustics was able to re-open its physical office , conversations quickly picked up to revive the program. Alexandra Davidson from Aercoustics and Mathew Garland from Marshall Day were the first to participate in the post-COVID program reboot, highlighting the resilience and relevance of global exchange programs for engineers in a changing world.
Here are the stories behind their 16,258-kilometre journeys.
Alexandra Davidson: Toronto to Melbourne
“I flew out on a Monday and didn’t land until Thursday!” says Alexandra Davidson, recounting her arrival to Australia in March of 2023. Alexandra was met at the Melbourne airport by Lachlan Deen, who participated in the exchange from Marshall Day to Aercoustics back in 2018.
“From the very beginning, everyone was so supportive and welcoming,” she says. “It’s a big move, and the generosity I felt throughout my experience is something that still sticks with me.”
Alexandra joined Marshall Day with over four years of experience in acoustic consulting at Aercoustics as a project manager and engineer in the environmental sector. In her role as a Senior Consultant at Marshall Day, Alexandra found herself immersed in a diverse range of projects and responsibilities, including several site visits throughout Victoria and Queensland and even a short stint in the Sydney office.
“While there are some differences in policy and regulations, the fundamental acoustics and science behind it are the same,” she says. “It was a huge confidence boost realizing I was able to contribute my knowledge and experience to the work, while also exploring new projects.”
Alexandra’s exchange also coincided with the firm’s biannual conference, which brings together the wider company to celebrate successes, share ideas, and look ahead to the future. As part of the conference, Alexandra traveled to New Zealand, where afterwards she spent a few weeks exploring and working in the Auckland office. She says that work and range of environments gave her a clearer sense of where her interests lie and how she could implement those interests upon her return to Aercoustics.
Beyond work, Alexandra dived right into the Australian experience. After her two housemates invited her to join a training session for their Australian rules football team, Alexandra went on to play the rest of the season, sparking a love for the sport that has continued back in Canada. “I had never even heard of footy before arriving in Melbourne. It was a fun way to try something new, but more than that it was just such an amazing community to be a part of.”
Since her return, Alexandra has continued to share her new insights back at Aercoustics and is excited to help facilitate the exchange experience for others in the future. “The exchange program really shows employees they are valued,” she says. “The company was willing to invest in me to expand both my career and my personal perspective, and I want to give others that opportunity as well.”. It’s one of the reasons Alexandra believes so strongly in global exchange programs for engineers.
Mathew Garland: Melbourne to Toronto
“I’d never actually seen snow before in my life,” says Mathew Garland, Consultant at Marshall Day Acoustics. About three months into his exchange, Mathew got a true taste of Canadian winter: “I got the opportunity to work in the Vancouver office for part of my time in Canada and did some travelling for a week out there, including a drive to Whistler
where I saw snow for the first time ever.” Mathew got even more snow exposure back in Toronto, which experienced some of the biggest snowfalls the city has seen in years.
Before his arrival at Aercoustics in August of 2024, Mathew had been working at Marshall Day for three years, coming to the firm with a Bachelor in Audio from SAE Institute and a Master of Design Innovation and Technology from RMIT. Mathew began his career in a recording studio, working with musicians and contributing to sound design for film and video games. That experience naturally sparked his interest in how sound behaves within the built environment leading him to explore working abroad as an acoustic engineer.
When asked about his motivation to pursue the exchange program, he responded “on a personal level, I wanted to be able to explore the other side of the world for the first time and get a new cultural experience. On the work side, I really wanted to build my network, experience how another business operates, and develop my technical skills.”
He experienced a broad range of projects during his time in Canada, from quarries to noise impact studies for residential developments. The bulk of his work has been with the architecture group, which has included office fit outs, civic buildings, and the acoustic design of a golf clubhouse; his time in Vancouver saw him assist on three healthcare projects.
“The physics of acoustics are the same no matter where you go in the world, but the tools can change,” he says. “Marshall Day uses different software in almost every application, which has been a great way to learn new tools and refine my fundamentals. But, in terms of day-to-day, the process is still similar.”
He did find the social environments quite similar between the two companies. There are plenty of social events at both firms that encourage team members to get together and bond. At Aercoustics, Mat has really enjoyed the film club, and Christmas and Halloween celebrations.
One lesson Mathew will take back with him is that snow is a lot more dangerous than he anticipated. He has now experienced how slippery getting around Toronto in the winter can be. Aside from the weather, he has not found too many striking differences between Toronto and Melbourne. Both cities contain a varied multicultural experience, which lead to some pleasant surprises.
“I am a huge fan of Australian rules football, and it is a big part of my identity back home because I have played it since I was a kid,” he says. “I didn’t realize that there was a full league in multiple provinces here in Canada. I was here for a week and joined a footy team, which was a great way to meet some fellow Australians and get advice on how to adapt to Canada. And there was a large group of Canadians, so it was a great 50/50 balance of Australians and Canadians to connect and learn with.”
Mathew believes the key to a successful exchange is approaching it with an open mind and embracing as many unique experiences and activities as possible. It’s a chance to step outside your routine and gain both professional and personal growth.
Conclusion
The Aercoustics–Marshall Day exchange program continues to demonstrate the power of stepping beyond the familiar. It’s more than just a professional opportunity—it’s a chance to engage in a new culture, gain fresh insight, and return with a renewed perspective that strengthens both individual careers and entire teams.
Alexandra and Mathew’s experiences reflect the spirit of the program: support, collaboration, and shared growth. Their success in the exchange is a testament to what’s possible when two like-minded firms invest in their people and in each other. As more engineers seek out global exchange programs for engineers and opportunities for working abroad as an acoustic engineer, programs like this will only grow in value and impact and Aercoustics is proud to be leading the way.
