I recently had the opportunity to represent the UQ Women in Engineering (WE) team on a Regional Outreach Trip to Far North Queensland (FNQ). With a fellow Atherton Tablelander and WE Student Leader, Mikaela Millerd, we presented and ran workshops at three schools in Cairns and two on the Tablelands.
Coming from Kairi, a small town in FNQ, this type of information is exactly what I wished I had when I was in high school.
Some key topics we covered during our trip:
- The need for diversity in the workforce
- Engineering (as a degree, and the opportunities that come from it)
- Careers in Engineering
- Opportunities for rural students
- Support networks available within the university
- Pathways into Engineering at UQ (subject selection, university entrance pathways)
We reached students from grades 8 – 12, helping answer questions and ease anxiety over subject selection.
“You cannot be what you can’t see” - Marian Wright Edelman
Trips like this hold an incredible amount of value, to both the high school students, and the WE Leaders. For myself, this was a great chance to work on my public speaking and presenting skills, something that I have always found difficult. For the students, showing them that Mikaela and I had followed our dreams – moving 1800kms away to study – and that this was a realistic option for them, can break down so many barriers. Believing that you’ve chosen an achievable career path is so much easier when you have someone in front of you who started in a similar place, and can help you step in the right direction.
I’ve always been told that you have to be the change you want to see in the world, and I think this is a step in the right direction!
Many thanks to Amanda Merrick for her brilliant organisational skills behind the scenes for this trip, and to Mikaela for putting up with my constant conversations! Also thanks to Amy Ferrari for sharing her journey and presenting with me in Cairns.
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