Diary of a budding engineer

General

Since my last article I have completed my first semester of Chemical and Material Engineering and am positive I made the right decision. Since specialising and having a larger focus on papers that interest me my grades have also improved and ended up with me achieving my best marks so far. I believe this is a representation that I am enjoying my papers since I am much happier to put more effort into each paper. 

This semester I am starting to better understand how the two sides of my degree come together. This is because the papers focus on processing through energy and design with the materials focus on mechanics of materials used in these processes. For example, pressures acting inside a pressure vessel. It draws on a lot of static mechanics knowledge gained in part one and shows how the material covered last year can be applied to multiple specialisations.  

This semester we have a paper called Managing Design and Communication which is taken by all part two engineers. The focus is on soft skills that will aid you when in industry. It covers topics such as teamwork, word/excel skills and communication. It also focuses on ethics and sustainability which are both important issues that will influence every decision made in the future and are topics which can sometimes be overlooked when there is so much emphasis on content.  

I am also in the process of applying for internship roles for over the summer period. It has been interesting to see what different roles are available for Chemical and Material engineers and where my future career could lead.   

Publishing Information
Page Number:
14
Related Articles
Skills Group invests to future-proof NZ’s trades workforce
Skills Group is taking proactive steps to support New Zealand’s future trades workforce as apprenticeship numbers in key sectors decline. Skills Group’s own data shows Electrical Level 4 apprentice...
Re-New Zealand: CDE technology transforming wet waste into a valuable commodity
At one time considered a minor by-product, hydrovac waste is now a frontline issue in the push towards a truly circular economy and a waste stream with high potential as a sustainable alternative to...
Teen wins National James Dyson Award for smart glasses set to transform epilepsy care
Mark Campbell, a 19-year-old product design engineering student from the University of Canterbury, has been recognised as the New Zealand National Winner of the James Dyson Award for his invention,...