Building a future in regional NSW

Part of the UTS community

When Shoaib was considering universities, UTS was at the top of his list. He was drawn to it not just for the engineering program but also for the diversity – of the student body and opportunities.

Shoaib was accepted into the Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours) degree, part of the UTS Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology (FEIT).

Students need to complete an engineering internship in order to graduate, part of the course accreditation with Engineers Australia. At the end of Shoaib's third year, he began the process of applying for one. 

This was early 2020 when the Coronavirus pandemic was first coming onto Australia’s radar. Soon, the majority of internship programs were cancelled indefinitely. With the possibility of no internship and a reluctance in companies to hire international students, Shoaib was worried about completing his degree.

FEIT soon stepped in to help.

Each year, the faculty supports international master and undergraduate students with a 12–week summer internship program. Optik Engineering Consultancy is a simulated consultancy where students work as engineers and experience what it’s like to work in an Australian work environment.

The program was initially established in 2017 to assist master–level international students who struggled to develop the industry networks required to gain an internship. The program was expanded in 2018 to include international undergraduates and some domestic students. 

Interacting with industry experts, the students work on a range of projects from UTS research centres, industry and fictitious but close to real–life business projects.

UTS comes to Forbes, virtually

FEIT approached the Forbes Shire Council in regional New South Wales in October 2020, offering interns to work on a project. The council readily agreed, providing a project based on an actual traffic issue the community was facing in the town.

In November 2020, Shoaib was accepted into Optik’s engineering internship. Due to the pandemic, he was unable to travel to Forbes and instead participated in the 12-week internship entirely online. 

The council provided Shoaib with survey data and information on the town and its residents, so he could participate in the project fully.  

So began one of the best experiences of Shoaib's life.

Forbes is located on Wiradjuri country, about a five–hour drive from Sydney. It's a rural town, home to beautiful heritage buildings and stunning landscapes. It has a carefully preserved streetscape that pays homage to a bygone era.

Shoaib joined the team at Forbes Shire Council, albeit virtually, working on projects that could make a difference to Forbes residents. He was part of a team of 15 civil engineers who worked on an intersection upgrade, designing a new roundabout that would help prevent future accidents.

Richard Jane, Director Engineering at the Council and an active long term member of the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA) NSW and ACT Divisions, was Shoaib’s mentor during his 12-week internship.

“Shoaib proved to be a very enthusiastic engineer who wanted to learn as much as he could in a short period,” he said.

The internship program is particularly valuable to the Council because they’ve had difficulty encouraging metropolitan–based engineering graduates to apply for vacant positions.

By making a connection with the intern consultancy, we were able to provide some insight to rural engineering and to provide students with experiences that otherwise they would probably not consider. 

Richard Jane, Director Engineering, Forbes Shire Council

Richard explained that engineers benefit from moving to regional areas, as they are able to have unique experiences that they wouldn't get in the larger cities.

“Often, regional engineers are required to be well versed in road design, stormwater design, concrete design, steel design, water reticulation design, sewer design and others, all at once,” he said.

“Engineers who want to diversify into many areas will enjoy working in regional locations”.

Next moves

After a busy three months working with the council, Shoaib began the final session of his degree. He remained focused on completing his final project, with the added pressure of finding full–term employment after graduation. 

When he saw a Design Engineer graduate position at Forbes Shire Council, he jumped at the opportunity. 

Having worked for the council through the Optik internship and appreciating the cultural heritage of Forbes, Shoaib wanted to give the application his all.

“When I travelled to Forbes for my interview, I had the pleasure of going around with the Council Projects Manager, who showed me the abundance of development that’s yet to come,” Shoaib shared.

Shoaib was thrilled when he got the job and Richard was equally happy to officially welcome Shoaib to the team.

“We have gained a valuable staff member in Shoaib, who is a qualified civil engineer – something that seems to be difficult for us to attract to western NSW,” he said.

Forbes: population 9596, plus one

Shoaib moved to Forbes in July 2021. Because he had been in Sydney during the June/July stay at home orders, he had to isolate for two weeks on arrival. 

During that time, Forbes Shire Council supported Shoaib's move with a COVID–safe relocation plan. The team brought him groceries in addition to helping him with accommodation.

“The people I meet are so amazing and welcoming,” he said.

Shoaib came out of lockdown and joined the team in the office on 2 August. His initial project is a residential estate for hundreds of people, where he is involved with infrastructure and pipeline design.

“It’s a huge project, and as a recent graduate, I am more than excited to be a part of it and learn from the team,” Shoaib said.