When Jacquie was in her final year of school, her dad, a Civil Engineer, suggested that she too might be interested in this career path. “I have a good appreciation for practicality and I’m a logical thinker, so engineering seemed to be the best fit”.
Meet Jacquie - Women in Engineering and IT Cooperative Scholar and Civil Engineering Student
Scholarship advantages
With her practicality in mind, Jacquie knew that she would benefit from more than just coursework content and felt the Women in Engineering and IT (WiEIT) Cooperative Scholarship was a good blend of real world experience and networking opportunities in addition to theory. “The UTS Women in Engineering and IT Co-Op Scholarship really stood out to me because it has those industry connections, so you are guaranteed your internships at really reputable companies that will support you for your career”.
In her industry experience so far, Jacquie received hands on experience in the recently completed WestConnex project, with her first internship being in the commercial sector. Then she dived headfirst into the civil engineering experience, working again on the WestConnex project but as an onsite engineering student. “This allowed me to apply the skills I learnt in my degree so far. It was an action packed experience, and it felt great to be part of a real life project“
Being a part of the WiEIT cohort has made Jacquie’s transition into UTS seamless.
Our scholarship cohort is very tight knit, and it’s great to be able to make connections with like-minded women across engineering and IT.
Jacquie's advice for future WiEIT applicants
Jacquie encourages applicants to emphasise how your experiences have shaped your values, and consider how these align with the UTS WiEIT values. “Your achievements, your hobbies, your passions, how they’ve shaped your values and your strengths and how you plan to use those in your future and how these align with WiEIT morals. Show that you are committed, passionate and ready to give it a red hot crack.”
Involved in UTS Elite Tennis team and having also participated in the Lucy Mentoring Program, Jacquie has loved being a part of the UTS community and fully involving herself in every opportunity the university has to offer.
When thinking about advice for her Year 12 self, Jacqui says to keep your options open and just give it a go. “I never in a million years thought I would be the recipient of this scholarship but here we are and I’m so grateful for it.” She says, “Go with the flow and go in with no expectation. Year 12 is a really stressful time, but honestly, just enjoy it as it goes by so quickly.”
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.