Tamanna from Nepal completed her Master of Engineering (Extension) in Civil (Structures) Engineering in 2020 and currently works as a Graduate Civil Engineer at KBR.
Meet Tamanna
Originally from Kathmandu, Nepal, Tamanna wanted to pursue her postgraduate degree in Australia for its top-ranked universities and reputation for academic excellence. She decided to focus on universities in Sydney for its cultural diversity, plentiful employment opportunities, high quality of life, and the beautiful weather. UTS stood out amongst other universities with its top 100 ranking in Civil Engineering and strong connection with industry partners for networking.
Tamanna pursued a Master of Engineering (Extension) in Structural Engineering for its tangible impact on society, career advancement opportunities, and job security. Upon enrolment, Tamanna received the UTS 30th Anniversary Nepal Scholarship which provided 25% off her tuition fees.
Receiving a 25% scholarship was a great way to offset the cost of my education and make it more affordable for me and my family. This was a significant amount of money, depending on the total cost of the course I was enrolled in.
Her coursework helped her develop technical and soft skills to become a successful Civil Engineer.
“I chose UTS because it’s known for innovative teaching that emphasizes real world, hands-on learning experiences. Design projects were collaborative and helped me to apply theoretical concepts in a realistic environment. Working as part of a team developed my interpersonal and communication skills and helped me network with peers from different backgrounds and cultures. I learned industry standard design software like Microstran, RAM concept, and Plaxis. My projects involved real-world case studies that illustrated theoretical concepts and principles.“
One of Tamanna’s favourite aspects of UTS was the multicultural, welcoming community. She enjoyed meeting students from all over the world and learning from different cultures and perspectives. She took advantage of support services like student counselling to address personal challenges, academic tutoring, and assistance on adapting to life in Australia. To prepare for entering the workforce, Tamanna took advantage of professional development and networking opportunities offered by the UTS Career Hub.
“Career fairs and networking events are great places to connect with potential employers and learn about job opportunities. I spoke directly with recruiters and hiring managers to learn about their companies, different company cultures, and expectations for candidates.”
Within a year of graduation, Tamanna secured her first role as civil engineer. She credits her time at UTS with helping her to successfully enter the workforce.
“A civil engineering degree can help graduates develop skills that are highly valued in the job market, such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and paying attention-to-detail. The workload was demanding in terms of assignments, projects, and exams in addition to my part-time job. However, the time and effort I invested was rewarded at the end with a Master’s degree and a full-time engineering role.”
Today, Tamanna works as Graduate Civil Engineer at KBR in Sydney where she specialises in water and wastewater engineering.