Choosing a university degree can be a difficult process - especially figuring out what you exactly want to major in. Our WIESoc team has definitely felt this and so we put together a guide on why our members chose to pursue engineering and what they love about their degrees.
Hasara Herath, Electrical Engineering and Commerce, 2022
After deliberating over a number of different career paths, by the end of Year 12, I finally had settled on wanting to study a double degree in Engineering and Commerce. I chose Electrical engineering as I knew it would apply to a wide range of industries and as a high school student with little knowledge of the entire Engineering industry, I wanted to make sure I selected an Engineering stream that was flexible and didn't restrict me to just one career path. Within Electrical there are so many different avenues that you could take like Electronics, Signal Processing for Communication or Biomedical applications, Power, Control Systems and all industries require some form of electrical engineering to conduct their business. I was keen on following the pathway of Energy and Power as I aspire to aid in the integration of renewable energy sources into Australia's Electricity Market. Over the past 4 years, I have not once regretted pursuing Electrical Engineering. There have definitely been some tough days, with particularly tough subjects but I really do enjoy the rewarding challenge that this degree is and have been able to build life-long friendships that make the trek to Uni and the challenge of the degree that much more worthwhile.
Bree Jolley, Mechatronic Engineering, 2021
In school, I had quite the random load of subjects that ranged from graphic design to physics and I was quite torn about which path to take post high school. It wasn’t until my head of science approached me and told me to investigate this science and engineering forum down in Canberra, and it is up on the list as one of the best decisions I have ever made. Coming from a sheltered small town I had never been exposed to the myriad of pathways that engineering could take you.
As I was indecisive about what stream I wanted to go into, eventually I settled into Mechatronics. Keeping in mind the ever-growing society around us, technology is the centre and hub for future innovation, just where I wanted to be. Three years later, I can say that I’ve not only been able to dip my toes into three different engineering areas, but I’ve been able to roll all that into one, to do things like code virtual machines and robots! I think the best part about engineering is that you can take problem-solving, ingenuity and innovation and apply it to almost all aspects of the world, which is what I hope I can utilise for the better down the track!
Nadeesha Pallegedera, Electrical and Biomedical Engineering, 2022
I love how engineering combines innovation and problem-solving to ultimately design something that will help people. Both Electrical and Biomedical Engineering have allowed me to view the world through a different lens, often finding myself randomly linking everyday life events to a concept learnt in class. Learning about everything from how to build electronic devices to how 4G works has me regularly wondering about what great technological things our future could carry. It is clear to say that engineering has some of the most supportive and friendly people I have ever met and it is this community that has made my university experience an unforgettable one.
Amelia Holmes, Aerospace Engineering, 2021
Most of high school I didn't really know what engineering was or what an engineer did, it wasn't until year 11 when it was suggested that I go to an engineering information day that I even thought about it. At this workshop, I found out that engineers were problem solvers and designers and really made an impact on the world. It was a combination of all these things that made me consider engineering as a career. Once I started studying, I knew I had made the right decision, it's definitely difficult at times but everything about aerospace is fascinating and challenging in the best way. Engineering offers great opportunities for anyone who likes to work hard, be involved in hands-on projects and meet with a diverse range of people.
Karima Bakhtiar, Civil Engineering and Commerce, 2023/2024
In year 10 I realised that I wanted to pursue a career in either health or engineering as both of these streams benefit and help the community in their own unique way. Ultimately, I thought that with Civil Engineering I could make a difference and avoid all the technical and design problems that the light rail had for future transport projects. Working extremely hard over the years I am now completing my second year of engineering and loving every minute of it. I believe civil engineering is a necessary stream as it is this stream that creates the new tomorrow including transportation, infrastructure, water systems etc. I have no regrets pursuing civil engineering as it shapes our future.
Lavanya Sood, Software Engineering, 2021
I choose to do Software Engineering because I have always been interested in technology. I grew up playing a lot of video games which helped me develop a passion for creating technology and solving problems. Software Engineering as a degree has allowed me to develop good problem-solving and creativity skills through the different projects that I have developed throughout my degree. My degree has allowed me to explore all the different possibilities that are available to us in order to solve any problem that we are faced with whether it relates to university work or life in general.
Malavika Pasupati, Computer Engineering with a Masters of Biomedical Engineering, 2022
In all honesty, selecting my degree was one of my biggest challenges in year 12. With the minimal exposure I had to work or university life it was difficult to make such an important decision. I knew I wanted to challenge myself and that I wanted to be able to produce something that would make a tangible difference in this world. I also used to dream about what was truly possible in the world of bionics and other technologies - especially after watching some of my favourite movies!
Engineering is a marriage of creative thinking and logical reasoning and analysis. It forces you to broaden your thinking in remarkable ways. Furthermore, it offers an incredible and enlightening view to the "behind-the-scenes" of our world, especially given that my degree has exposed me to such interesting areas as human body systems, low-level computing and design methodology.
At present, I’m still figuring out my future; but I know that with a background in Engineering it will definitely be something to look forward to!
We hope this article gave you a better insight into what it looks like to study engineering!
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