Philippines I Mary Grace Aguilar

Meet Grace

Growing up in Manila, Grace always looked up to her mother who graduated with a degree in civil engineering. This inspiration, coupled with Grace’s love for designing and understanding mechanics, fuelled her interest in pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering. Speaking with her Sydney-based cousins who had already graduated from UTS, they highly recommended that she study at UTS for its well-reputed engineering program that provides students with hands-on practical experience in addition to theoretical knowledge.

My mum really motivated me to pursue this degree. Women all around the world who continue to inspire young girls to pursue careers in STEM, especially engineering, have continued to inspire me to be innovative and keep on doing things that can help change the world for the better.

Grace began her journey at UTS with Insearch, now known as UTS College. By studying a UTS College diploma, students are guaranteed entry into their corresponding UTS undergraduate or postgraduate degree. Most diplomas take students directly into the second year of their UTS degree. This year long program is an excellent way for international students to settle into life in Sydney and practice their English skills before entering the fast-paced world of university life. In 2018, Grace completed her Diploma of Engineering (Extended). After completing her diploma, she continued her degree at UTS. 

As a woman studying engineering at UTS, Grace joined Women in Engineering and IT and the Lucy Mentoring Program to build her network and meet other women seeking to enter this male-dominated field. The Lucy Mentoring Program allows UTS students to connect with professionals working in engineering and technology industries through one-on-one mentorships and exclusive networking events.  

“I was paired with two amazing mentors from companies based in Sydney. Both helped me realise my strengths and weaknesses and how I can better put myself out there, be more confident, and be more upfront with things I am passionate about not only in the field of engineering, but in everything that I do. I enjoyed visiting my mentors' workplaces and being exposed to some of the things their companies do and seeing how the minute details are improved in every aspect of their projects. I saw how they manage to play as a leader and member of a team and how this is an essential part of achieving goals for the company and one's self.”

A crucial part of the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) degree is the 12-week Work Experience that all students must complete before graduating. Perusing her network, Grace aimed to intern at SEDA Services, one of the largest mechanical services contractors in Australia.   

“I trained as an engineer at SEDA Services and it helped me familiarise myself with the company's visions and how they approached work. I learned a lot of technical engineering processes, but most importantly I was able to get to know my co-workers, especially my supervisors, and their expertise in the HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) field. They were all willing to teach and I was able to familiarise myself with how the industry, including fire engineering, hydraulics, electrical, civil, and mechanical engineering, work together to build infrastructure such as hospitals, university research buildings, schools, and others.”

After the initial 12-week work experience ended, Grace continued working with SEDA as a part-time engineering intern. When Grace graduated, that internship turned into a full-time position with SEDA as a Graduate Mechanical Engineer—a position she still holds today.

“I learned a lot of valuable and important engineering concepts and ideas from my classes at UTS. However, I gained more practical experience from exposing myself to the industry. I had a subject called Design in Mechanical and Mechatronic Systems. I did this subject along with my internship, so I chose a project related to HVAC. The project involved a real client and we needed to design a solution based on their specifications and requirements. This experience taught me valuable industry knowledge which involves a client, meeting their scope, working with a group of fellow engineers who had knowledge in drafting, HVAC, BMS (Building Management System) and programming. Working with my team was especially memorable because we know it could be a valuable connection for our careers in the future and not only that but, friendship as well.”