Why I Transferred to WSU Engineering

In this article, Joshua Maltese shares his experiences of studying Engineering at WSU.
Register for Western Sydney University’s Open Day: Sunday 27 August, 2017.

Career.

To some graduating high school students, this word may be seen as tormenting in more ways than one.

But for others, it may be the light at the end of the tunnel.

Everyone is different when it comes to knowing their pathway after high school. Whether they continue studying through university or TAFE, enter the workforce, or choose to do both concurrently, each to their own desires, motivation and capabilities.

Leaving high school, I was inclined to accept a scholarship offer from UTS. I was absorbed straight into full-time university life and study.

But after completing the first year and a half at UTS, I realised that my situation had changed from the time of my original university application.

And so, Western Sydney University became my new home.

WHY DID I TRANSFER TO WSU?

Firstly, the change into WSU mid-term was easy and straightforward, with the mid-term application process and plenty of administrative staff to assist with the transition.

A lot of people have asked the question, “Why did you change from UTS to WSU?” And to answer that, I have summarised some of the major reasons why below.

GREAT CONVENIENCE – CLOSER TO HOME AND WORK

For a Western Sydney resident, the travel into the city for university started to get quite time-consuming. Sometimes, I would be travelling for longer than the classes I was actually going in for.

WSU offers various campus locations to complete your studies. All accessible by car (with very affordable parking permits!) and public transport, getting to and from the campus is not a problem.

For Western Sydney residents, Engineering degrees at WSU are now offered at two separate campuses – Penrith and Parramatta South – and students have the flexibility to study at either (or even both!).

GREAT FLEXIBILITY – THE OPTION OF EVENING CLASSES

If you’re working a lot whilst studying, evening classes may be a great choice for you.

Starting around 5 or 6pm, these classes allow students to complete a full day’s work as usual.

At the moment, three of my four subjects are entirely evening-based, meaning I am only required to attend university for a short period during one day.

This flexibility is great for those who work during the day but still want to study – or others who would like to expose themselves to as much of the working industry as possible. The flexibility that WSU offers really makes it easy to do more in your life than just study.

Evening classes also allow students of similar situations to establish some great friendships.

GREAT CHOICE – SUBJECT ELECTIVES

Looking into the course electives offered at WSU, I was very interested. WSU’s electives are practically relatable to the industry my course leads to.

Many of these subjects are based on practical and theoretical reasoning, which for me makes it much easier to learn.

Engineering students even have a choice to join a range of science and engineering societies, including:

• Robotics

• 3D printing

• Aerospace

• Sustainable energy

• Entrepreneurship

• Women engineer societies

GREAT EXPERIENCE – CAREER PREPARATION

I have discussed career prospects with many professionals in the civil construction industry. From those discussions, the following points were really made clear to me in regard to university studies.

• It’s not where or how well you achieved your degree, but how well you can apply your theoretical learnings into the practical workplace industry

• Practical experience in the industry is one of the most valuable assets graduates can have when applying for engineering opportunities

• Communication, time management and interpersonal skills are imperative for graduating engineers – and these are gained through industry experience

And WSU addresses each of these points perfectly.

Without a doubt, facilities at all WSU campuses are outstanding. You needn’t look any further than, for example, WSU’s FabLab. The FabLab includes access to a range of facilities, such as woodworking and metal workshops, laser cutting, CNC routers and other fabrication equipment.

WSU’s Engineering degrees really are set up to give students the best possible chance of enjoying a successful career in the field.

TAKE-HOME POINTS

A few key takeaways:

IN TERMS OF CAREER…

Engineering and construction employers are not necessarily looking at where you studied. Instead, they’re more interested in how well you can apply your knowledge to the practical workforce.

WSU sets you up brilliantly for this.

For example, you can participate in WSU’s Solar Car Project. As part of this, WSU students compete in the World Solar Car Challenge – and are currently working on a car to compete in the 2017 race.

This sees universities from across the world race from Darwin to Adelaide (~3,000km!). It provides amazing opportunities to get involved with genuine, hands-on engineering experience.

IN TERMS OF ENGINEERING EXPERIENCE…

Let engineer experience complement your studies.

Seek employment as an intern or undergraduate at companies within your field of study.

Not only does this increase your employability; it also makes learning easier, and more practical in its application to the industry.

WSU is really strong on this.

In fact, Western specifically helps students work on hands-on projects (such as the Solar Car Project, and a whole heap of other initiatives). WSU also helps with industry experience, so you’ll well and truly be right to go!