Meet Caitlin – Software Engineer student and WiEIT Co-Op Scholarship recipient

The scholarship offers many benefits

Caitlin vividly recalls her enjoyment of the problem solving aspect of IPT. “I’ve been studying IPT since year 9, I’ve always loved it.”

Caitlin discovered the WiEIT Cooperative Scholarship after UTS Student Representatives visited her school. These representatives gave her and her peers insight into the university's offerings and introduced them to the opportunities available at UTS. Caitlin also had heard about the scholarship through accounts from students in the grade above her. “I knew a couple of students who had got it a year prior and were loving it”.

Caitlin has already gained valuable industry experience through a three month summer internship at the Australian Stock Exchange. This immersive internship gave her insights into C# (C Sharp) programming, the functioning of the industry and boosted her confidence when she came back to UTS the following year. Caitlin acknowledges the positive impact that this internship had on all her subjects. “You learn so much quicker at university after completing these internships”. She was then given the opportunity to complete a six month internship at Channel 9 News, where she displayed her front end coding skills.

There are lots of benefits to the program aside from the $66,000 benefit. We are lucky enough to experience three industry placements. They are all extremely professional and large companies that would be hard to get into without this scholarship.

Caitlin's advice to future UTS students is clear

Embrace the university experience wholeheartedly and fearlessly explore new avenues. She also says that it is important to recognise the unique opportunities that UTS offers that cannot be replicated elsewhere.

Caitlin emphasises the importance of authenticity when applying for the WiEIT Co-Op Scholarship. She encourages applicants to “show how you’re well rounded, show that you take initiative, explain projects that you’ve worked on and definitely do not discount anything that you’ve done”.

Today, when reflecting, Caitlin would advise her Year 12 self to say "yes" to more opportunities and be “less stressed about studying and do more extracurricular activities”.

The Women in Engineering and IT (WiEIT) Cooperative Scholarship at UTS blends industry experience through internships, networking and mentoring, and financial benefit together. Recipients of the scholarship are awarded up to $66,000 to contribute to their Engineering studies, and benefit from being a part of the WiEIT program.