Hoping to resolve the shortage of engineers in Canberra, UNSW Canberra says it has opened its undergraduate engineering programs to non-defence students from the general public, starting from 2016.
The University of New South Wales (UNSW) Canberra college has been located within the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) for half a century, providing defence related security and engineering research.
While the campus is small, every year, UNSW Canberra has almost 3000 undergraduate and postgraduate students who come from all parts of the world.
Its undergraduate programs were previously restricted to selected officer cadets of the Royal Australian Navy, Australian Regular Army, and the Royal Australian Air Force, as well as some other members of the Australian Defence Force.
Following an agreement between UNSW Australia and Australian Defence Force, UNSW Canberra will open entry to its undergraduate engineering programs to the non-defence students starting from 2016.
Four Bachelor of Engineering undergraduate programs will be available: Aeronautical, Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical.
According to UNSW Canberra Rector, Professor Michael Frater, the college has one of the largest engineering programs in the ACT and surrounding regions and is the only local university that currently offers the traditional engineering disciplines of civil, electrical, mechanical and aeronautical engineering from the first year.
“We are very pleased to welcome students from the ACT and wider community into our engineering programs,” he said. “For the first time, Canberra’s aspiring engineers have access to a broad range of engineering degrees without having to leave Canberra”.
“From 2016 UNSW Canberra will not only take first year undergraduate engineering students for the first time but students who are already studying for their engineering degree at other Universities will be able to complete their studies at UNSW Canberra.”
Canberra industry and business representatives have welcomed the change. Robyn Hendry, CEO of Canberra Business Chamber, says her organisation fully supports the move.
“The education sector plays an important role in skilling the labour force and in supplying the industry with specialists. This new initiative gives great opportunities for Canberrans and Canberra industries,” she said.
“There is a significant shortage of engineers in Canberra and currently the industry has to look elsewhere to attract engineers to move to the ACT. This new initiative will help to fill up this gap and supply ACT industries with local engineers who will have applied experience gained during their studies,” said John Hindmarsh, Executive Chairman of Hindmarsh Construction.