Careers with STEM: Engineering 2022 by Refraction Media

CAREERS withSTEM

TERM 3, 2022

™

LE B U DOISSUE R P FO ITH FLEI ERS W UM T R N A A C QU

engineering

Graduate Software engineer

Graduate Android Developer

reasons to choose engineering Discover VET pathways p12

Get into green energy careers p18

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CAN USE YOUR CREATIVITY TO SOLVE TOMORROW’S CHALLENGES

From the pyramids to the industrial revolution, cars, mobile phones, the space station and surgical breakthroughs, engineers’ creative approach to solving problems have been critical to innovation, growth and prosperity across the ages. Study engineering at Macquarie and learn how to create practical solutions to complex problems. Choose from five specialisations to get the skills you need to change lives.

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FOREWORD

We want 1337 engineers!

banking' 'THE CORE of modernabout the good old

g You might think I’m talkin re excited about mo en be r ve ne e days, but I’v rking in tech! Similar my career and about wo a website anymore, my to how Google isn’t just onwealth Bank, isn’t current employer, Comm ce. Cutting-edge just about money or finan modern banking. technology is the core of mmonwealth It’s my job to represent Co s. eer I ensure they have Bank’s 7000-plus engin software quickly. what they need to develop working at the Our engineering grads are ckchain, DevOps, forefront of tech: using blo even playing with Kubernetes (Google it!), coding languages, robots and using the latest from some of the best like Go. They’re learning

engineers in Australia an d having fun making a real difference. For exam ple, you could make a difference to the envir onment by working on our green products and trading carbon credits. There’s never been a mo re exciting time to be an engineer playing a role in Australia’s growing digital economy . I love being in an industry that welcomes everyone for who they are and what they can bri ng to help make positive change. The mo re minds, the merrier. Technology is the future of everything. If you want to shape the future , then take up STEM and be a part of the chan ge we deserve. Phillip Grasso-Nguyen General Manager of Engin eering and Disting uished Engin eer, Commonwealth Bank

Head of network arch itecture & engineering, google

there's never been a more exciting time to be an engineer, playing a role in australia's growing digital economy”

bachelor of Science science), university (Computer of sydney

t computers since ’ve been passionate abou at home in the ’90s I was a teenager coding it was a no-brainer – before the internet – so science at uni. And when I chose computer for one of my first jobs, I remember when I went exactly this website my mum asked me what for. was I was going to work ebsite’ was Google. ‘w the d an It was 2006 helped establish Over the next 15 years, I teams in Australia Google’s infrastructure stems. to serve its worldwide sy

general manager of engineering, commonwealth bank

master of scien (computer science)ce , uts

Phillip Grasso-NguyeN

general manager of engineering and distinguished eng ineer, Commonwealth Bank

You read that right, we’re on the search for leet (aka elite) engineers who want an exciting career at the forefront of technology, says Phillip Grasso -Nguyen – Google veteran turned top engineer at Comm onwealth Bank

ENGINEERING

CONTENTS

Flip the magazine over for careers with quantum!

What’s inside? P6 6 reasons to ering

P22

choose engine

emand Land a high-paying, in-d at’s d th job that you’ll love – an just three reasons!

P8 Engineering pathways you can bank on cool jobs Meet three grads with . at Commonwealth Bank

= STEM +giX neering (STEM)

P14

Combine en to with your passion (+ X) er discover the perfect care path for you… Engineering + … P14 Medical

u? P12 Uni not foilrlyo could be! Engineering st

ways into There are so many path a career in engineering!

gineer Become a biomedical en and save lives

P26

P18 Energy

Use your STEM skills to wer revolutionise how we po our world

uff P28 Next steps and fun st

Why engineering?

SHUTTERSTOCK

t its core, engineering is abo ut using maths and science to solve problems. From buildings to apps, engineers design and build efficient solutions that we use in our everyday lives and beyond. And with the world currently facing multiple cha llenges – climate change, war , a pandemic and food insecurity – people wit h engineering skills are in hig h demand. In Australia alone, more than 80% of engineering graduates lan d full-time jobs within four months of gradua tion. Engineering underpins so many important jobs of our present and futu re. That’s why, in this issue, we’re shining a light on amazing engineering fea ts and the careers behind the m.

! M E T S o t e r o m h So muc magazine!

ch more Careers with STEM is so mu

than a

P22 Water

neers Meet the specialist engi g and keeping our taps runnin our waterways clean!

P26 Food

ing jobs Get your fill of engineer here from the world of food Join 1 MILLION STUDENTS each year who are growing their future with STEM!

ure with our FREE Job Kits • Explore the jobs of the fut ality with online quizzes • Discover your STEM person ars l for career videos and webin • Subscribe to our yt channe out on Insta or TikTok! • Connect, share and reach

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Like Careers with STEM? Join us, connect with other STEM-minded peeps and widen your network before you’ve even graduated!

YOUR CAREER. YOUR WAY. The National Careers Institute empowers Australians to achieve productive, rewarding and fulfilling careers and lifelong learning. yourcareer.gov.au can help you make informed decisions about your learning, training and career development.

yourcareer.gov.au

Figuring out a career can be exciting. Are you 15 to 24 years old? You can talk to a real person to discuss your career options. Text ‘SLIS2022’ to 0429 009 435 Call 1800 CAREER (1800 227 337) Book in for a free 45-minute career guidance session with an experienced career practitioner.

yourcareer.gov.au/schoolleaver 5

ENGINEERING

UPFRONT

reasons to choose engineering

Wondering why engineering should be on your STEM career radar? Read on

You’ll find a job – and love it!

hot right now, you’re Demand for engineers is so e job after graduation. almost guaranteed a full-tim g skills shortage “Australia has an engineerin says Dr Bronw yn exacerbated by COVID-19,” tralia. “[Plus] an Evans, CEO of Engineers Aus e that has gone up engineering job vacancy rat s and an economic 97 per cent in just 12 month astructure projects.” recovery hinging on major infr a full-time job Most engineering students find Plu ting. s engineering within four months of gradua 1 sur vey by QILT* found hires are heaps happier. A 202 isfaction rate. a massive 90% employer sat

loads #2 There’s of choice Whatever your interest, eng ineering has you covered. Do you geek out over the pla nets? Consider a career as a space engineer. Obsessed with the ocean? Marine engineering could be the gig for you. Want to save lives? Become a biome dical engineer. Love cool gadgets? Check out ele ctronics engineering.

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professor lisa harvey-smith australia's women in stem ambassador

The E in STEM is for everyone

diversity. g workforce means improving Building the best engineerin ounds are kgr bac engineers from diverse Change is happening. Future fessor Pro or, Women in STEM Ambassad in high demand. Australia’s for up n of the reasons fewer girls sig Lisa Harvey-Smith, says one ut. abo often don’t know what it's all engineering is that students rare pygmy for tem sys a ign wants to des “Ask a Year 9 student if she get an hway and you will probably possums to safely cross a hig e student if sam the k “As Conversation. The told she ,” yes tic ias hus ent may be al engineer and the response she wants to be a mechanic lukewarm at best.”

CAREERSwithSTEM.com

Make your mark

rofile piece of Think of any complex, high-p in Australia and there e architecture or infrastructur who helped make it will be dozens of engineers ney Harbour Bridge, happen. We’re talking the Syd Scheme – you name it. The Ghan, the Snowy Hydro could be on your way to By studying engineering, you helping create the next big thing in our future.

Australia ha an engineering skilsls shortage exacerbate d by COVID-19”

#5 Save the planet

You get a job! And you get a job! And you get a job... Which engineers score employment in the first four months after graduating? The numbers speak for themselves.

77.7% civil engineers 78.1% electrical

engineers

Earn big bucks

78.5% computing

Chief A report by the Office of the ineering eng Scientist found that 40% of $104K or graduates in Australia earn engineers more. Experienced, specialist -career can earn even more – a late le, can earn marine engineer, for examp her up to $205K. – Heather Gallag

engineers

76.3% mining engineers** 7

*QILT: QUALITY INDICATORS FOR LEARNING AND TEACHING. **GRAD AUSTRALIA

You could help save the planet as an engineer! From building rob otic crabs that pick up cigarette butts on beaches to helping transition our ene rgy system away from fossil fuels, the sky’s the limit! Susan Krumdieck is an adjunc t professor and mechanical engineer from Ne w Zealand’s University of Canterbur y, and she says engineers will be key to con ser ving our environment for future genera tions, because no-one knows what needs to be done to save it like engineers do!

ENGINEERING

ENGINEERING+COMMONWEALTH BANK

n w o r u o y e s o o h C career-venture S

Meet three graduates who all chose engineering pathways – and never looked back

poilt for choice much? With so many cool next-gen STEM degrees ou t there, we spoke to three graduates about wh at made them choose engineering – and how it helped them score great gig s.

Shivang Nagar

Data engineer, Commonwealth Bank

The businesssavvy engineer

were a natural fit. hivang and a double degree ool, the maths whiz After graduating from high sch ay that’d teach him both was keen to choose a pathw ial skills. engineering and entrepreneur engineering, but also re twa “I wanted to learn sof lains. how a business works,” he exp or of Sof tware hel Eventually settling on a Bac merce at Monash Com of Engineering and a Bachelor ine in bus ss analytics, University, Shivang majored three awesome which gave him a glimpse into ineering and data. aspects of STEM – maths, eng d, Shivang started With his business-sav vy min while studying. hunting down graduate gigs er organisation larg I wanted to a “I wanted to work for ting ora lab col of learn software because of the possibility ” he says. rld, wo the und aro m fro ple with peo engineering, engineering Shivang secured a graduate but also how a k – which led role at the Commonwealth Ban business works” engineer. to a permanent gig as a data

TINA SMIGIELSKI

Work wins

in a team of tech-fluent These days, Shivang works and its par tners to share engineers enabling the bank their customers. data so they can better ser ve he recently wrapped up Then there was the project y – CommBank iQ. that became its own compan chance to work on both “During the project, I got the rkshops,” he says. coding tasks and running wo t future for himself. Shivang is securing the cooles as a thought leader And his ultimate goal is a role pany’s bigger-picture (someone in charge of a com goals). – Cassie Steel

Bachelor of Software Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Commerce (Business Analytics), Monash University

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Graduate Engineer, Commonwealth Bank

Data Engineer, Commonwealth Bank

#2 ulla Aizel Red oid Developer,

The arty engineer

Graduate Andr Commonwealth Bank

or Aizel, studying something creative was just as important as diving into a straight-up STEM degree – so she sought out a course that flexed both her analytical and creative smarts. “I have always been passionate about tech, but also about how we interact with it,” she says. “We need creative skills in STEM – for problems that seem impossible to solve!” A Bachelor of IT (UX Design), and Bachelor of Arts (Linguistics) at the University of Queensland satisfied the best of both Aizel’s worlds. Even after graduation, she was torn over which field to head into. Aizel’s unique DIY degree led her to a graduate position at Commonwealth Bank.

g The art of engineerin developer has her

roid Aizel’s gig as a graduate And Banking Technolog y ess sin Bu k’s working on the ban d tech features into the team. She introduces tailore cifically to help smallAndroid CommBank app spe ir banking needs. business owners beyond the they can grow their “We look at things like how s,” she says of her risk business success and handle ve close to my heart, first big role. “It’s an initiati inesses were heavily because I know our small bus ic.” impacted through the pandem ering role that ine eng re twa Seeking out a sof lls and creative thinking requires equal par ts tech ski Aizel to engineer her has been an awesome way for ts. career to suit both her interes my dream job,” she “I really do feel like I’m living flexibility means she can says. And the fact that work as sometimes? Living. work from home in her pyjam The. Dream. – Cassie Steel

LAUREN TROMPP

We still need creative skills in STEM – for those problems that seem impossible to solve!” Bachelor of IT (UX Des (Linguistics), the Un ign) / Bachelor of Arts iversity of Queenslan d

Head teacher, Code Camp

Gr aduate Android Dev elo Commonwealth Bank per,

ENGINEERING

ENGINEERING+COMMONWEALTH BANK

The aspiring CEO y a handful of girls t school, Maral was among onl fact that always who took STEM classes – a ortant and imp stumped her, considering how enjoyable she found them. me so many “Maths, physics and IT taught g skills,” she says. practical and logical thinkin the only girl in “I actually remember being physics class!” to design her Aspiring to one day be able re engineering twa sof t own app, Maral knew tha ting there. She enrolled would be her best bet at get ineering and a Bachelor in a Bachelor of Sof tware Eng y of Technolog y Sydney of Business at the Universit ting with Honours. (UTS) – and ended up gradua

Maral NalbandiaEnngineer,

Gr aduate Software Eng Commonwealth Bankineer,

Software Developer , Deloitte

Graduate Software nk Commonwealth Ba

LAUREN TROMPP

Growing up surrounded by fast-paced technology, Maral saw limitless opportunities in digital innovation – eventually landing her dream role as a software engineer at Commonwealth Bank. “It’s crazy to think just a laptop and an idea can allow me to build an interactive application that anyone can use all over the world,” she says of her cool gig. “Software engineering really has opened up endless opportunities for me!” Maral spends 9ish to 5ish working with an awesome team of tech-savvy engineers, building new features and improving existing ones on the CommBank mobile app. She’s a huge advocate for diversity in STEM and dreams of one day being CEO of her own multibillion-dollar software company and chilling in a luxe beachside penthouse. And her advice to STEM grads keen to get started in software engineering? “Don’t give up! It’s important not to let failures stop us (they should encourage us).” Yep, future CEO right there. – Cassie Steel

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Bachelor of Engineeri ng (Honours) (Softw Engineering) / Bachelo are r of Business (Accoun ting), UTS

Banking on IT

g Software engineerindl en ess really has opened up opportunities for me” 10

world ready

BUILD THE FOUNDATIONS FOR YOUR DREAM ENGINEERING CAREER WITH ECU Commitment and dedication to your studies will get you through your Engineering degree at ECU. While ECU’s world-class engineering facilities, industry contacts and professionally-accredited courses, will prepare you for transition into your dream career. ECU is the top-ranked university in Western Australia for undergraduate Engineering teaching quality and student support (2020 QILT SES results). So, it’s no surprise that our graduates are employed in some of the world’s most influential companies. APPLY NOW ECUWORLDREADY.COM .AU/E NG I N E E RI NG

ECU ranked 151-175 for Engineering (Times Higher Education 2022)

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ENGINEERING

ENGINEERING+VET PATHWAYS

s l o o t e h t n o t e G If you enjoy working with your hands, learning on the job and figuring out how stuff works, a career in the trades could be right up your alley

little brother or ometimes seen as uni’s on and training sister, vocational educati ge. In fact, in – or VET – is actually hu llion students took 2020, a whopping 3.9 mi So what makes the a VET course or subject. VET system so great? stem is designed The VET qualification sy all and build your so that you can start sm apprenticeship is skills. In most trades, an leting fied, which includes comp required to become quali es an t the Certificate II provid a Certificate III or IV. Bu . n as a pre-apprenticeship introduction – also know go or e im l-t ful dy at a TA FE Another option is to stu e let mp co n provider. You ca through another training in art -st ad he quickly and get a a Certificate II or III fairly or a lom a year or two on a dip the job market or spend These re specialised knowledge. advanced diploma for mo vide a stepping stone to qualifications can also pro loe Walker further study at uni. – Ch

Expressions of interest There are so many opportunities to use engineering skills in the trades – you could be an aircraft mechanic, a metal worker, clockmaker, blacksmith or even a boat builder! Here are a few ideas to get you thinking. Fitter and turner

Fitters and turners make things out of metal using tools and machines. They work with very precise measurements, so accuracy is essential! Salary: $50K–$86K What to study: Certificate III in Engineering (Mechanical Trade)

Locksmith

Locksmiths don’t just cut keys and change locks – they also install security systems, repair locking mechanisms and provide security advice. Lots of locksmiths work with security firms, but many run their own businesses. Salary: $42K–$70K What to study: Certificate III in Locksmithing (as part of an apprenticeship)

Electrician

SHUTTERSTOCK / *SOURCE: SALARIES ACCORDING TO PAYSCALE.COM

Electricians are in high demand, with the number of jobs projected to grow more than 10% in the next five years. Salary: $46K–$99K (domestic) / $68K–$88K (commercial) What to study: Certificate II in Electrotechnology (Career Start), followed by Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician

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Engineering draftsperson

A draftsperson creates technical drawings for manufacturing and engineering. They use computeraided design (CAD) skills and may be involved in estimating material costs. Salary: $43K–$92K* What to study: The Certificate IV in Engineering Drafting will help you on the way to an entry-level role.

Take flight

aircraft maintenance engineer

Aircraft maintenance engineer Christian Ferrone’s second go at an aviation career is the one that took off

he was colourblind hen Christian found out gh his flying degree, more than halfway throu ing a pilot his lifelong dream of becom disheartened,” he says. crash-landed. “I felt pretty , struction for a few years Christian worked in con ssion for aviation. but couldn’t shake his pa hip course in aircraft He did a pre-apprentices flying high ever since. mechanics, and has been ce as an aircraft maintenan Christian is now working as ed ts were recognis engineer. His achievemen prentice of the Year Ap the Western Australian ntice of the Year finalist and an Australian Appre Awards in 2021. at the Australian Training plete the apprenticeship. It took three years to com e d ‘licensed’ to his job titl Now he is working to ad an me ll wi ploma. That and complete the full Di planes, but also sign off fix ly Christian can not on ain. “There’s a lot to learn that they’re ready to fly ag helming,” he says. “It’s at the start – it was overw er a while, things start to really fast-paced but, aft work.” click between TAFE and d to complete a logbook of In training, Christian ha one had to be done three thousands of tasks. Each Associate Degree in Aeronautics, south metro tafe Diploma of Aeroskills (MECHANICAL) Aviation Australia

ENGINEERING+VET: NATIONAL CAREERS INSTITUTE

IMAGE CREDIT: DEPARTMENT OF TRAINING AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

christian ferrone

times. “It’s pretty full-on, but towards the end you find you can tick off mu ltiple tasks during a single job. You realise, ‘Oh yeah , I can do this,’” he says. During his apprenticeship , Christian worked on private aircraft, includ ing the WA government’ s private plane. “Sometim es we’d do heavy maintenance on an aircra ft, where you completely rip it apart,” he says. “The seats and floors would come out, everything. I’d think, ‘How is all this go ing to go back together?’ Then seeing it in the hangar an d taking off again is an aw esome feeling.” Christian says, in his job , there are no stupid questions. “In this indus try, if you don’t ask questions, serious things can happen, and there’s always something new to learn. You’re never bored .” Christian's six-days-on, six-days-off roster gives him plenty of time for vo lunteering at the restorati on team at the Aviation He ritage Museum. “It’s a go od place to practise skills!” – Chloe Walker

There’s always n. something new to lear You’re never bored”

Scheduler, homestart, a bgc company Apprentice Aircraft Maintenance Engineer, Execujet

Certificate II in Aeroskills (Mechanical), south metro tafe Aircraft Maintenance Engineer, QantasLink

ENGINEERING

ENGINEERING+MEDICAL

Engineering the human body ection of tech and human ers int the at rk wo rs ee gin en Biomedical lving skills to save lives biology, using their problem-so

he idea of a ‘designer human’, or combining cutting-edge tech like robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) with biology, is a popular sci-fi topic – but now it’s also literally a career path you can choose. Love tech and problem-solving? Want to work in healthcare? It’s perfect! Biomedical engineers develop and design medical equipment, devices, computer systems and software that other medical practitioners then use to improve human health and wellbeing. For this career, STEM subjects biology and engineering are key. Then you’ll need a university degree, like an undergrad in science or engineering, and a specific postgrad qualification – or you could combine your interest in healthcare and engineering with a double degree. There are loads of options. The Australian Government’s Job Outlook website states that biomedical engineering is a career path with “strong” future growth. The technology and healthcare sectors are producing super-exciting innovations right now, generating epic career potential. – Gemma Chilton

SHUTTERSTOCK / *SOURCE: LABOURMARKETINSIGHTS.GOV.AU

To-do list These tasks are just some of the things a biomedical : engineer might do on the job  Make surgical equipment and tools for medical practitioners ipment  Install and test medical equ air  E xamine, maintain and rep equipment  Quality-assurance checks  Electrical safety checks use of  Train medical staff in the advice equipment and give technical ts for use  Design and develop implan artificial as h suc s, during operation replace to tes joints or titanium pla ries. inju d sections of bone in hea

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START YOUR CAREER HERE ENGINEERING + MEDICAL + STUDY

Equity scorecard

tics show that Govern ment statis of all hu ma n lf ha t ou despite ab , women bodies being female ly 15% on up ke cu rrentl y ma eers! gin en al dic me bio of all th wi do Th is sector could er nd ge us a serio rebala nce.

Bachelor of Medical Sciences/Bachelor of Engineering (Honours), Macquarie University

85% 15%

Bachelor of Biomedicine/ Master of Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne

Field day The pathways for a biomedical engineer are super-broad and diverse! You could work in any one of these specialist fields. Biomechanical engineering Apply mechanical engineering principles to biological systems to develop, design or repair medical products, such as artificial organs and prosthetic limbs. Cell and tissue engineering Create materials and structures to repair or build human tissue. Clinical engineering Research, develop and maintain instruments and equipment to help practitioners like doctors and nurses. Rehabilitation engineering Develop technological solutions and equipment to aid people with disabilities or recovering from disease or injury. Medical imaging Develop and use tech to capture images of the human body – inside and out – to help diagnose disease and injury. Soft robotics Combine cutting-edge tech and materials science to develop robots made of ‘soft’ or malleable materials (which are safer around humans!).

Who’s hiring? A hospital is an obvious place where a biomedical engineer might work, but not the only one! Here are some big employers of biomedical engineers in Australia. • Agilent Technologie s • Bio21 Institute • Bionics Institute • Chemtronics • Cochlear • Compumedics • CSl •A ustralian Defence Force •D evice Technologies Australia • GlaxoSmithKline • ResMed • Sanofi •T herapeutic Goods Administration *SOURCE: UNIVERSIT Y OF MELBOURNE: BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING CAREER PATH WAYS

Bachelor of Medical Engineering (Honours), University of Newcastle Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Medical), QUT Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)/Master of Biomedical Engineering, UNSW

ENGINEERING + MEDICAL + JOBS Biomedical engineer $55K–$91K Medical technologist $51K–$104K Prosthetist $46K–$107K** *Source: salaries according to payscale.com

Systems physiology Apply engineering principles to understand how whole systems within living organisms function and respond to changes in their environment.

ENGINEERING

Clinical engineer Orlando Hodgson keeps life-saving medical devices healthy

orlando hodgson clinical engineer

Clinical Engineer, NSW Health

gy, from ospitals are full of technolo and patient s ine ch ma medical-imaging ering monitors to the robots deliv . sandwiches in the cafeteria you look,” says “Technology is everywhere thing is, someone Orlando Hodgson. “And the needs to maintain it.” NSW Health, As a clinical engineer for re all of the devices Orlando’s job is to make su ed to do their jobs that doctors and nurses ne His workshop looks are in optimal condition. spitals in northern after machines used by ho lming, but it’s good Sydney. “It can be overwhe curve,” he says. because it’s a big learning

Graduate Electrical Engineer, ActronAir

ENGINEERING+MEDICAL: MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY

The device doctor

Application Engineering Intern, Omron Electronics

I WANT TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY. I WANT TO SEE HOW FAR WE CAN GET” A holistic education

CAREERSwithSTEM.com

Bachelor of Engineering (Honours ) (Mechatronic Engineering), Mac quarie Universi

As a kid, Orlando wanted to design aircraft, but Year 10 work experience at an aviation company ch anged his mind: “I realised there wa sn’t a big market for aeronautical en gineering in Australia. We don’t design planes here!” Instead, he studied mech atronic engineering at Macquarie University. “I liked that it brings multip le streams together,” he says. A few electives related to biology inspired Orlando to work in medic al engineering. His Honours project looked at using ‘neurostimulation’ (stimu lating nerves) to help manage chronic pain and depression. “It’s all about problem-solving. Ho w can we engineer a solution to minimise ch ronic pain?” Orlando had a range of ex periences to start his career. Now, he looks forward to finding out how health tech deve lops. “I want to be at the forefront of medical tec hnology. I want to see how far we can get. Al l of these devices have to be top-notch in saf ety – there’s no margin for error,” he says. – Chloe Walker

science and was also rowing up, Anna always loved ple person – not exactly super-creative and a real peo which is why stereotypes can the engineer ‘stereotype’, go straight in the bin! t STEM can, in fact, be Instead, Anna understood tha and she could use it to fulfil innovative and imaginative, people. her other passion – helping biomedical engineering ut abo “I remember hearing s. “It managed to combine when I was in Year 11,” she say science with one of – in my my interest in medicine and disciplines on Earth.” opinion – the most creative l and electronic Anna is talking about electrica dying at the University of engineering, which she’s stu al technologies. Adelaide, majoring in medic nt is to get into biomedical Her dream path at the mome rehabilitative technology, engineering – “specifically in she says. with a neuroscience focus”, diverse range of thinkers in e “It is so important to hav a is all about being creative and every industry. Engineering – Gemma Chilton thinking outside of the box.”

anna cernev

ENGINEERING+MEDICAL: THE UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE

ve lives Anna Cernev love use engineering to sa and hopes to one day

Bachelor of Electrica l and Electronic Engineering, the Unive rsity of Adelaide

Dreaming of becom a biomedical engineing er!

n o s r e p e l p o e p e iv Creat s creativity, people and STEM –

engineering undergra d

Engineering is all about being creative and thinking outside of the box”

South Australia’s largest design and technology expo.

INGENUITY set.adelaide.edu.au/ingenuity/

SHUTTERSTOCK 6723-7 CRICOS 00123M

Free event Wednesday 2 November, 2022

ENGINEERING

event supporter

ENGINEERING+ENERGY

Full of energy Mix engineering with energy and your study and career path will be bright!

eer and have big o you want to be an engin impact on the world. plans to make a positive ! And second, have First up, you’re amazing able energ y engineering? you thought about renew t relies less on fossil As we look to a future tha the renewables space are fuels for energ y, jobs in nshot (a report about booming. According to Su rtunities), renewable clean energ y export oppo ate up to 395,000 new energ y exports could cre ! What’s even cooler is jobs in Australia by 2040 of these jobs will be in that a whopping 30,000 and communications engineering, information nsulting ser vices. technology (ICT), and co cool opportunities Below, we explore lots of and take a look at some in engineering + energ y need to tackle with your of the challenges you’ll ers STEM skills. – Louise Me

H up! W hat isold energ y enrenewable gineering It’s a ll ab ? out develop in g

energ y fr ways to ge om d iffere nerate nt renewa sou rces – ble energ y th in k sola r, h yd ro, w in a nd geoth d, biomass er ma l. T h is area of combines en g ineeri lots of oth ng ers (i nclu mecha n ic d in g a l, electric a l, industri chem ica l) a l a nd a nd you’l l a lso need to be acro ss cuttin ged ge tech, li ke energ y ca ptu re a nd stora ge.

use dr morlereynem wable engineer & energy consultant

Why get into renewable en ergy? Engineer, renewabl

SHUTTERSTOCK

e energy consultant and cofounder of iSTEM Co., Dr Morley Muse says, “Relyin g only on fossil fuels to meet global demands is dangerous to our climate, due to the harmful effects of global warming and climate change. The use of alternative sustainable fuels is relevant to meet demands. Renewabl e energy is clean, sustainable and reliabl e, conser ving natural resour ces and mitigating air pollution. The biggest challenges to renew abl es are storage and waste heat. Car eers in renewable energy are imp ortant for sustainability and environ mental conser vation.” Bachelor of Engineering , (Chemical and Environmental) University of Nottingham Ambassador, CSIRO’s Innovation Catalyst Global

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Master of Science ogy), (Sustainable Power Technoles University of South Wal Environmental Coordinator –se Metro Tunnel Project, Lendlea

able PhD (Environmental/Sustain ty ersi Univ oria Vict , ing) neer Engi Co-founder, iSTEM Co

START YOUR CAREER HERE

Engineering + renewa ble energy careers Renewable energy en gineer Work on ways to pro duce energy from sustainable sources.

Environmental engine er Assess the im

pact on the vironment that renewable energy proen jects might have.

Electrical engine

Design and develop systemser power generation and distrib for electrical ution.

Mechanical engi

neer Oversee the construction an d maintenance of wind turbines, panels and hydropower statio solar ns.

Materials engine

er Research and test materials their performance, and work to improve materials can be used in new out what emerging renewables tech. and

ENGINEERING + ENERGY + STUDY Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Renewable Energy), UNSW Bachelor of Renewable Energy Engineering (Honours), University of Newcastle Undergraduate Certificate in Renewable Energy Engineering, TAFE NSW

Process engineer

Look at what equipment is project and how it will be coneeded for a renewable energy nstructed.

Civil engineer

Manage the building of renew able-energy facilities (like hydropower stations) and tec h sure they meet safety codes. (e.g., wind turbines) to make

Solar engineer

Plan and implement solar projects like solar panel insentalergy on buildings or development lations of a solar power plant.

Geothermal engi

er Explore ways to use naturne al he sources inside the earth to at produce energy.

ENGINEERING + ENERGY + JOBS Electrical engineer $55K–$121K Environmental engineer $57K–$104K Materials engineer $56K–$110K* *Source: salaries according to payscale.com

Calling all problem-solvers

e of the biggest As Morley says, on able energ y is ew challen ges in ren s work ing in th is storage, so en gineer e up with solutions area wi ll need to com g large amou nts rin sto for th ings like it ca n be used of solar energ y (so ov ing battery pr an y time) and im les (so cars hic ve ic ctr tech for ele ently ici ca n ru n more eff ). ger lon and for

ENGINEERING

ENGINEERING+ENERGY

Solar stars pros using their We spoke to two STEM solar energy! engineering skills in

Elnaz Hariri Sola r lead

CwS: How did you get into engineering? EH: In high school, I liked ma ths and physics. I’d always thought that designing and fabricating stuff seemed coo l, so I decided to study mecha nical engineering. CwS: Tell us about your job ! EH: I work at Sun Cable as the solar lead. Sun Cable is developing the world’s largest solar energy infrastructure network, making it possible to power whole cities with renewable energy. My role is to design experiments to help inform technolog y choice s. CwS: What’s something peo ple might be surprised to know about working in ren ewable energy? EH: No matter what your bac kground, you can actively par ticipate in renewable ene rgy. You must have a passio n to learn about the industry and build new skills. CwS: What career opportuni ties do you see coming up? EH: The field is far-reaching and there are a multitude of STEM-related fields within it, like photovoltaics and mechanical, electrical, chemic al and sof tware engineering.

you must have a passion to learn about the industry” ical Engineering, Bachelor of MechanZanjan, Iran University of t Co-founder & projec manager, Avesta

at work like for you? CwS: What’s a typical day ing system YH: I work for a solar mount role is to design the manufacturer and my team’s els to the roof. As an frames that fix the solar pan includes concept engineering manager, my job to clients, meeting design, calculations, talking installers to help deadlines and talking to solar on the roof! are y them solve issues while the

, le Energy Engineering Master of Renewabti rsity, Iran ive Un esh Beh id ah Sh ry manager, Engineering labor ato Consultants ng eri ine Eng d Win CPP

Mechanical engineer, Iran Exhaust Solar lead, Sun Cable

Yuneska Harris Engineerin

g manager

your job? CwS: Favourite thing about solar panels safely YH: When a client gets their makes a positive connected. Each installation environmental impact. really proud of? CwS: And something you’re Melbourne the of YH: I managed the design wn to be the kno Airpor t 12 MW solar farm; it’s countr y (so far). largest at any airport in the CwS: Tip for students? ke with your peers, YH: The relationships you ma lly important. Get mentors and teachers are rea community groups involved in programs, clubs or or the environment. rgy that focus on renewable ene Bachelor of Civil Constructions, Civil technician, IUT Dr Federico Rivero Palacios, Venezuela Project Coordinator, Pangea Projects

CAREERSwithSTEM.com

Project Engineer, Franki Piles

Bachelor of Civil Engineering, IUP Santiago Marino, Venezuela Project engineer & manager, Clenergy

Engineering manager, Clenergy

more sustainable s the world transitions to there’s still a lot ways of producing energy, that could one to investigate. Something gen – but we need to day be a clean fuel is hydro volumes of it. work out how to store large in. Stefan and his That’s where Stefan comes re elements like team research ways to sto in geological hydrogen underground or own as geo-storage. formations – a method kn has the potential to As he explains, hydrogen gas or a liquid. It is be stored as a compressed erns deep sometimes stored in salt cav more places to put it. underground, but we need stored in different He says hydrogen could be shale or even coal materials, like sandstone, culations and found seams. “I’ve done some cal oirs could store about standard sandstone reserv gen,” Stefan says. 1-2 million tonnes of hydro found is also “And coal, for example, we e component.” probably a very good storag

globetrotting engine er

Although he works in the engineering department now, Stefan sta rted off studying chemistry in his native Ge rmany. Since then, his STEM career has taken him all over the world: from Germany to the UK and the US, where he first became int erested in studying petroleum engineering, bef ore finally landing in Australia in 2011. Today, in his role at Edith Cowan University (ECU), Stefan gets to work at the forefront of research and new technolo gy, which could help fossil fuel companies make vital changes. “If we want to mitigate cli mate change and cut greenhouse gas emiss ions, the oil and gas industries are among the biggest culprits,” he says, “but they can also ma ke the biggest difference.” – Kim Thomson

gas emissions, the , se ou nh ee gr t cu to t If we wan est culprits gg bi e th g on am e ar oil and gas industrimes biggest difference” e th e ak so al n ca but they 21

PhD (Material Science), Oxford Brookes University, UK

Professor Stefan Iglauer researches world-leading methods for storing hydrogen and carbon – which could help us shift to cleaner energy production

Master of science (Chemistry), University of Paderborn, Germany

Energy storage innovator

Professor and senior lecturer, ECU

Director, Centre for Sustainable Energy and Resources, ECU

Professo n University Engineering, Edith Cowa

ENGINEERING+ENERGY: EDITH COWAN UNIVERSITY

auer Stefan IgSOlUR Professor CE r of ENERGY & RE

ENGINEERING

ENGINEERING+WATER

WATER WORKS

ed is why STEM experts are need ich wh – life for al nti se es ly It’s literal sustainable and secure fe, sa are s lie pp su ter wa r ou to ensure

ou might not think much about water until you feel thirsty and fill a glass with H2O from the tap, but water is a massive deal. Not only do we need ready access to clean, fresh water for our survival, but it’s also essential for industries such as agriculture, manufacturing and mining. Too little of the stuff and crops fail and economies crunch. Too much of the stuff and towns and farms go underwater. And where there’s water being used, there’s wastewater to deal with. Handled properly, it can be turned into a valuable resource itself, but poorly managed wastewater can lead to disease and environmental catastrophe.

12% Increase in civil en

gineers ex pected in the water sector by 2025

SOURCES INCLUDE: AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY; SKILLS COMMITTEE AND AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS . SHUTTERSTOCK

Fresh is best

le So who are the clever peop naging the designing, building and ma ping fresh critical infrastructure kee tap and water flowing from your ht: engineers. down the toilet? That’s rig critical Water engineers are behind salination projects like dams and de water systems, rm sto plants, sewerage and working to prevent or and they are the experts tural disasters respond to water-related na like drought and flood. as climate change, And with challenges such ageing of our population growth and the re all on the cards, existing water infrastructu ater than ever. the need for expertise is gre eer in water Ready to kickstart your car a Chilton mm Ge engineering? Dive in! –

Soaking up skills Nope, we don’t mean learning to swim – these skills have all been predicted as priority and in demand for all jobs in Australia’s water industry.

$22.68 billion

CAREERSwithSTEM.com

The annual revenue of the water sector in Australia 22

 STEM  Digital & technology  Health & safety  Operational skills  Communication  Problem-solving  Planning  Leadership

START YOUR CAREER HERE

Aussie water Twitter

27,700

The number of people employed in Australia’s water sector

Fill your feed with these waterrelated accounts and be part of the conversation !

@stukhan

Stuart Khan is Professor of Civ il & Environmental Engineering at UNSW, and a prolific tweeter of all things wa ter engineering. #MentorGoals

@AustralianWater

Follow Australia’s leading memb er-based water association for industry news and insights.

@mcookhistory

Margaret Cook isn’t an engine er, but she is a “historian interested in disast ers, floods, droughts, rivers, water politics and land development” – all relevant if you’re interested in a career designing and buildin g water infrastructure.

@SydneyWaterNews

Sydney Water is Australia’s larg est water utility, and its news feed features fun stuff like vintage water bills and funny memes.

2746 GL water extracted for

agricultural use alone in A (that’s more than five Sy ustralia in 2019-20 dney Harbours, in case you were wondering!)

ENGINEERING + WATER + STUDY Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Civil), The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours), Monash University Associate Degree in Civil and Structural Engineering (Design Drafting), TAFE SA Master of Engineering (Water, Wastewater and Waste Engineering), UNSW Sydney

ENGINEERING + WATER + JOBS Environmental engineer $57K–$104K Hydraulic engineer $55K–$105K Marine engineer $53K–$191K* Water resources engineer $67K–$126K *Source: salaries according to payscale.com

ENGINEERING

Team Leader, Water, City of Launceston

ENGINEERING+WATER

Liquid leader

egan erica degin eer water eN

CAREERSwithSTEM.com

“Working as a water engine er here is par ticularly challenging, as por tions of Lau nceston have a ver y old and complex combined storm water and sewerage network,” Erica explains. In fact, Launceston, one of Australia’s oldest cities, has the last combined drainage system of its kind, of any sig nificant size, still operating in Australia. Also, the city’s location at the junction of three rivers makes flooding a real risk – so its water engineers have to be at the top of their game. Erica loves her job and loves knowing her work makes a difference. “I love that I can see the impact of my work out and about in the city wh ere I live,” she says. Recently, Erica has been pro moted to leader of the council’s water team; she now manages other water engineers and scientists. He r goal is to nur ture her leadership skills in this new role. – Gemma Chilton

Bachelor of Engineering (Environ / Bachelor of Science (Geogra mental) phy), UNSW

I love that i can see the impact of my work out and about”

Project Engineer, UNSW Water Research Laboratory

problem-solving rica loved maths, science and in her home state of as she went through school for a degree in Tasmania, so she signed up ping the Bass Strait jum – environmental engineering to enrol at UNSW Sydney. ter and chose water “I was always interested in wa e that, as a water engineer, electives,” Erica says. “I lov rking on in real life.” you can see what you’re wo arted her career at After graduating, Erica kickst orator y. Her work with the UNSW’s Water Research Lab ering and hazards. lab focused on coastal engine regular trips to the Gold A highlight, she says, was the ent using remote sensing. Coast to study sand movem went back to Tasmania, Keen to return home, Erica her education and later at where she spent time in hig before landing a job as a water a specialist consulting firm, ployer, City of Launceston. engineer with her current em engineer include Her responsibilities as a water water network and looking after the city’s storm ding emergencies – floo preparing for and managing for her. and she’s had her work cut out

Environmental Engineer, Syrinx Environmental

Water Engineer, City of Launceston

Erica Deegan is in charge of all things water at City of Launceston

Go with the flow

Sanduni Gamage GRADUATE ME

before she landed in ies tr w fe a ge ma Ga i or It took Sandun gig in WA’s water sect her dream graduate

nduni chose ne of the big reasons Sa er school was it to study engineering aft career choices. offered a lot of potential of options in terms “That meant I had plenty d to do in the future,” of exactly what I wante she says. en, after scoring her That came in handy wh mining company, she first graduate gig with a ite the right fit. realised the job wasn’t qu s a few more times “I ended up changing job d to do and ended until I found what I wante y to work at the Water up getting an opportunit s. “I’ve been here about Corporation,” she recall absolutely wonderful.” a year now and it’s been supplies water, The Water Corporation ser vices throughout wastewater and drainage uni is employed there Western Australia. Sand l engineer on a team as a graduate mechanica livering small water that's responsible for de the Perth metro area. infrastructure projects in s recently involved in For example, Sanduni wa a pump station. installing a flow meter at

CHANICAL ENGINEER

There are lots of opportunities for engineers in the water sector” Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical), Curtin University

Graduate Mechanical Engineer, mining company

“What made this projec t so interesting was the sheer amount of pla nning that had to happen, before the actua l site work, in order to ensure the water supply to the customers would not get affected,” she explains. A big plus of Sanduni’s job is plenty of time away from a desk – she estimates she spends about half her work tim e on-site. Sanduni also loves being able to see the impact of her work. “It’s great knowing you’re playing your part in helpi ng look after this precious resource we oft en take for granted,” she says. “With things su ch as climate change and population growth, it becomes ever more important to adapt, impro ve and innovate in how water is sourced an d supplied.” Sanduni highly recomme nds her path to other engineering grads . “There are lots of opportu nities for engineers in the water sector. Whe ther you study mechanical, electrical, civ il, chemical or almost any other type of engineering, there are plenty of things you can do in the water sector.” – Gemma Chilto n Graduate Mechanical Engineer, Wood

Graduate Mechanical Engineer, Water Corporation

ENGINEERING

ENGINEERING+FOOD

R U O Y R E E N I ENG FOOD CAREER

STEM degree or diploma A e? rol g rin ee gin en d ce lan Hungry for a healthy, ba rtunities in food production po op of t ue nq ba a up u yo rve will se

engineering hought about using your , different and fun smarts to do something nd for fresh ma delicious? With global de ien ingred ts projected and processed foods and year 2050, the to more than double by the duates in Australia’s opportunities for STEM gra food industry are epic. sector isn’t just And nope, our agribusiness ducts and recipes. about cooking up new pro vide solutions across Here in Australia, we pro chain. Think the entire agri-food supply duct development, production, processing, pro Careers include gigs distribution and markets. packing, alternative in production, processing, d safety, retail, protein development, foo bility. automation and sustaina

3D FOOD PRINTING

On the menu

Food engineers in Australi a are pushing some serious boundaries – and with obvious sustainability goals in mi nd, too! Concerns about the environmental impacts of the food sector – particularly the me at and dairy industries – have driven talented professionals skilled up in innovation to tackle next-gen concepts like sustainable proteins (we’re talking edible insects) and sustai nable supply chains so they can feed us all (a pre dicted 9.1 billion people worldwide by the year 2050). Up there with some of the coolest innovations is 3D food printing, where various food-based inks are built up layer-by -layer to fabricate 3D constructs with customised nutrients. This application allows us to fee d larger populations where food is scarce. And then there are equall y epic game changers like the use of bio fuel – a plant-based renewable fuel that allow s chemical engineers to create vegan, protein-r ich foods (AKA fake meat) inside a lab. Um, ho w awesome is STEM?

SHUTTERSTOCK

VEGAN SLIDERS

CAREERSwithSTEM.com

Up there with som food printing, wheree of the coolest innovations is 3D va up layer-by-layer to rious food-based inks are built customised nutrient fabricate 3D constructs with s. This application al low feed larger populatio ns where food is scars us to ce. 26

START YOUR CAREER HERE Process engineering

Food tech gigs

Food technologists are fluent in the physics, biology and chemistry of food! They’re pros at adjusting ingredients – like the thickeners and flavouring in food products – until they’re just right (read: delicious).

Process engineers are the production pros optimising industrial processes for large-scale manufacturing companies with goals of upping efficiency and reducing costs.

If you’re looking into food roles, make sure you widen your job search to include:

Chemical

Mechatronic engineering

engineering

These are the chefs of the science world, applying their advanced chemistry knowledge to engineer recipes and new products.

Mechatronic engineers head up the automated processes that literally make our food – robots, smart machines and intelligent control systems.

Research roles

Taste for success eering roles, when it comes to food engin

ENGINEERING + FOOD + STUDY Bachelor of Food and Nutrition Science, The University of Adelaide Master of Engineering Science (Food Process Engineering), UNSW Sydney Bachelor of Science (Food Science and Technology), RMIT

Love research as much as engineering and food? There are loads of opportunities for grads to tackle important food-based research topics – from allergies and food security to food safety and global accessibility.

Diploma of Laboratory technology (Food), TAFE NSW

(Both uni and uni-free pathways available)

Chemical engineer $55K–$104K

So er: everyone! who’s hiring? Short answ companies ve ati Look out for innov ing up the food ak breaking moulds and sh robotics-based d security space, like AI- an Labs, plantse farming company Farmwi bel Kitchen and based dairy giant The Re Harvest. Then edible bug retailers Circle e Nestlé, Uncle there are the big names, lik research Tobys and Arnott’s. Plus, d university labs an IRO institutions like CS sh minds. are always looking for fre than your CV, ger If your stomach is big ical em degrees in food science, ch aight-up science engineering and even str ll you up, along (majoring in food) will ski d production, with VET pathways like foo FE. – Cassie Steel tech and processing at TA

ENGINEERING + FOOD + JOBS

Food pyramid Got a st

omach for skilling up? If you wa hard work and engineering, make surenna get into food you the following into yoincorporate ur CV.

Food technologist $51K–$90K Process engineer $63K–$122K* *Source: salaries according to payscale.com

Passion!

A love of food is a huge plus, along with a desire to make a major difference.

Creativity!

Innovation, big ideas and the ability to think outside the

box!

STEM smarts!

Chemistry, maths, physics, biolog y, statistics and advanced eng ineering skills.

ENGINEERING

FUN STUFF

next steps

Excited about engineering? Ta ke these next steps to kickstart your career today !

What is engineerwhinatg?

Still kinda confused about Don’t worry, engineers actually, like, do? has shown ch ear you’re not alone – res understood st that engineering is the lea QR code the of all the STEM fields! Scan nute -mi below to watch our handy one straight explainer that will help set you and bust stereotypes all at the same time!

To find courses an Australia, check ou d compare universities in t the Good Universiti es Guide at gooduniversitiesg uide.com.au

SHUTTERSTOCK

Uni not for you? Read our special edition all about STEM apprenticeships and traineeships at bit.ly/STEM-VET

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. This issue went to press on 12 July 2022. Printed in Australia by IVE.

Cover image: Lauren Trompp (Engineering), Courtesy Sydney Quantum Academy (Quantum) Produced and published by: Refraction Media Co-founder, CEO & Publisher: Karen Taylor-Brown Co-founder, CEO & Head of Content: Heather Catchpole

what's that job? Want to find out more about specific engineering careers? Check out the growing stack of Careers with STEM Job Kits: our eight-page e-mags introducing individual STEM jobs.

Managing Editor: Gemma Chilton Digital Editor: Cassie Steel Production Editor: Louise Meers Sub Editor: Pippa Duffy / Haki Crisden Art Director: Katherine Power

Visit CareerswithSTEM.com/ job-kits/

Writers: Ben Skuse, Cassie Steel, Chloe Walker, Gemma Chilton, Heather Gallagher, Kim Thomson, Louise Meers, Sarah Kellett

Find engineer role models

You can’t be what you can’t see – which is why STEM role models are import ant! This is especially true for women and girls, who make up just 11.2% of Australia's working engineers. Don’t worry – we’ve got you sor ted. Did you know you can search career profiles at CareerswithSTEM.com sor ting by STEM (e.g. engineers) or by ‘+X’ (i.e. ano ther passion, like fashion, sport or saving the planet!). You can also search specifically for wo men in STEM and Indigenous people in STE M. Start scrolling and get inspire d about your own future!

CAREERSwithSTEM.com

Careers with STEM: Maths+Data 2022 is a publication and trademark of Refraction Media. Copyright © 2022 Refraction Media, all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner or form without written permission. If you would like to reproduce anything from this magazine, email: info@refractionmedia.com.au.

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