ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app

September 5, 2023

Engineering journeys of success

ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app STEM Careers Expo 2023: Forging futures in science, tech, engineering, maths and health

More than 40 major organisations operating in the Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths (STEM) and health sector were on campus on Thursday, August 10 for the 2023 University of ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app (ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app) STEM Careers Expo. From discussing potential career options, graduate programs, and internship opportunities to fielding specific questions on navigating career paths within their own organisations, no questions were off-limits for these employers.

Open to all students in the Faculties of Engineering and Information Sciences (EIS) and Science, Medicine and Health (SMAH), the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app STEM Careers Expo is an annual event, highly anticipated by ambitious future graduates.

At this year’s expo, we saw several companies returning who have already recruited a number of ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app Alumni. Clearly, they are satisfied with the quality of our graduates. The company representatives also encouraged students to pursue meaningful careers in STEM and health, and help address the current skill shortages in engineering and health across Australia. Many of the company representatives studied at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app and were keen to return to their alma mater to guide soon-to-be graduating students with their future career aspirations.

^{ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app engineering graduate, Jessica Don}

ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app engineering graduate Jessica Don, from the regional city of Albury-Wodonga, attended the event to represent her company, , and her work in project management. Jessica began her career in the graduate program with Cardno (now Stantec) where she focused on construction projects, overseeing the entire process from design to construction. Her study experiences at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app played a pivotal role in shaping her career and interests.

Even though Jessica had to study her last two years online due to Covid she said, “even during lockdowns I still felt a strong sense of belonging and support for my studies. I had ready access to lecturers and tutors, and I worked closely with other students in team projects.”

“The real-world case studies, and the many guest lectures from industry, gave me great insights into some of the problems construction projects can face. This really reinforced the area I wanted to work in, and the opportunities to work on various projects always keeps it interesting.”

Another ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app engineering graduate, Patrick Wilson, representing (Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation) spoke about how ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app helped his career journey, through several opportunities. Patrick began his career as an intern at in Silverwater, and reflected on his studies.

“the classroom knowledge and learning programs offered at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app helped me to apply my studies to real-world contexts”. 

Patrick’s own study journey was also a blend of on campus and online learning, “this approach offered diverse insights and a refreshing environment, as the friendships I made carried beyond the global pandemic.”

“ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app was great at facilitating work integrated learning opportunities during my studies, through its wide range of electives and its strong industry partnership with ANSTO. ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app put me in contact with the right people that were willing to help me transition into the workforce with ANSTO”.

Through these collaborative connections with lecturers and tutors, Patrick was offered a position at ANSTO as an undergraduate, working part-time while completing his final year thesis. He then gained a position in ,

“The partnerships I formed at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app significantly influenced my career.”

If you are interested in partnering with ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app for internships and professional placements in your organisation, get in touch today.