During the Summer Holidays I was given the opportunity to be one of 25 students attending the week long Indigenous Australian Engineering Summer School at Curtin University. Throughout the week I got the chance to speak to engineering companies such as John Holland and Aurecon and hear from some engineers about their journey to where they are now. It was great to hear from them because it helped me realise that even though I may struggle in Physics (a key area for becoming an engineer), I’m not the only one.
We also visited the new Perth Stadium and seeing it during construction was awesome. We went behind the scenes at the Fiona Stanley Hospital.We had our own Dinner Dance, which is where we received a Certificate of Completion for the Summer School and got to dance our hearts out. Of course I can’t forget the best part, making 25 new friends from all over WA, SA and even the Northern Territory. I went up there not knowing anyone and came back with a whole new family! What a great way to start the new year and I can’t wait to go again next year for the Pathway Program. I hope if you are Indigenous and are in Years 9,10 or 11 you think about applying even if you are like me and engineering was not what you had planned for your future.
Natahlia Amat