Engineering for the 21st century

Engineering is a diverse field that lets you design your own future. 

According to Engineers Australia, employment prospects for engineers are good. Vacancy numbers are high compared to the pre-pandemic period. There are jobs available in all areas of engineering, from software to electrical to structural. Of the 44 occupations on the Australian Government’s Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List, nine are engineering. Whether you want to build robots or bridges, you can turn your passion into a rewarding profession. 

‘Graduate engineers receive a higher average income than many other degrees. This makes moving to Australia to study and start your career very appealing.’ 

If you want to become an engineer but are unsure what type, Deakin University offers undergraduate engineering programs in all disciplines. There are common units at the start of the programs so you do not need to know exactly what you want to study. You have time to decide which field interests you most. Then, as recent civil engineering graduate Hassan points out, ‘when you get an understanding of it, you can specialise. Mechanical, civil, whatever field you want to move to.’ 

Engineering for the future 

A key feature of Deakin’s engineering programs is project-based learning. Tharuka came to Deakin from Sri Lanka with a dream of one day working on self-driving vehicles. While studying in the Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering (Honours), he contributed to ‘a project in swarm robotics, successfully built a robotic proof of concept for my final year project and won the sumo-robot competition’. This experience has led him to roles working on autonomous vehicles for both on land and under water since graduating. 

With an increase in demand for engineers of 50% year-on-year, the employment situation will likely remain the same for a long time. The Australian Government offers up to two years of post-study work rights to engineering graduates. There are even opportunities for longer visas for engineers who want to live away from the major cities. Graduate engineers receive a higher average income than many other degrees. This makes moving to Australia to study and start your career very appealing. 

Take your career to the next level

Postgraduate study is an opportunity to specialise in fields with growing demand globally. Deakin University offers masters degrees in energy system management and infrastructure engineering and management. Both programs are designed to educate the next generation of leaders who want to make an impact in sustainable engineering practice. Infrastructure engineering at Deakin focusses on economic and social impact. Graduates of Deakin’s energy system management degree apply their skills to address the global demand for renewable energy. 

Build the world you want to live in

A focus of engineering at Deakin is sustainability. According to Associate Professor Ashim Debnath in the School of Engineering, students learn to ‘design in a sustainable way not only just for today, but also for the future.’ Civil engineers, he says, assess the side effects of infrastructure. ‘Will we make a lot of air pollution? Will we pollute local bodies of water? Will it destroy bird life habitats?’ 

A hands-on approach to learning 

With this approach toward sustainability, Deakin’s Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus is home to a renewable energy microgrid. While providing energy for the campus, it is an education and training resource for energy professionals of the future. Dr Shama Islam from the School of Engineering says ‘students can do internships and projects there. They can do different sort of data analytics with the visualisation platform to understand how the generation and demand change throughout the day.’ 

As the need for engineers with specialised expertise grows globally, Deakin University has responded to that need. As one of the top 1% of universities for engineering worldwide, and with Australia’s current shortage of engineers, Deakin is an ideal choice for building your career. 

Quick links

Learn more about Deakin’s undergraduate engineering degrees 

Learn more about Deakin’s postgraduate engineering degrees