Preetham is a mechanical engineer and former Engineers Australia student ambassador who says volunteering for the profession has had a major impact on his career so far.

What was your inspiration for studying engineering?

From a young age, I was fascinated by cars. I was a curious kid who wanted to understand how things work the way they do. My favourite pastime was watching car shows on the discovery channel. I believe my inspiration to study engineering stems from this childhood urge to know the mechanics behind everything.

I excelled in math and physics subjects throughout high school, so I decided to take up mechanical engineering with the goal of working to become an engineer who could deliver innovative engineering solutions. I am at the beginning of my career, so I believe that I still have a long way to go.

Can you tell us a bit about what you have been up to since graduating?

After graduating from UNSW with a master’s degree in mechanical engineering last September, I was on the lookout for a graduate role in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning industry. I had conversations with my seniors and connections from university to understand how they landed roles in their desired fields. With this advice and guidance, I landed a graduate role with Climatech and I have been working with them since January. It has been a good learning curve with wide exposure in different sectors including healthcare, education and commercial.

How have you made the most from the support of Engineers Australia since graduating?

Engineers Australia has played a major role in my professional career. As a member, I can access a plethora of career helpful resources and various e-learning opportunities are available every week. I make the most of this by choosing topics I am keen on understanding more about.

Although I have been quite busy with my work, I make it a point to attend the events organised by Engineers Australia. Networking roulette and breakfast catch-ups are good networking opportunities for a young engineer like me. They allow me to connect with many people from the industry who have shared interesting insights and their expertise. This has given me a broader perspective and helped me think outside the box.

Why did you decide to become a student ambassador? And how has it helped you in your journey?

I strongly believe that volunteering is low-key networking and I have noticed its impact on my career so far. As a university student, I was involved in several societies that helped me increase my reach and provided me with good networking opportunities. It also served as a platform to gain much-needed experience in team-based environments.

As a student ambassador for Engineers Australia, I organised networking events and workshops that helped me connect with engineers from different disciplines. Being an active Engineers Australia member has helped me boost my confidence and improve my interpersonal skills. These skills go a long way in the workplace.