Taking on not only a Bachelor of Engineering Honours but also a Bachelor of Business, Simren is building a strong foundation for her career. Before she graduates, she’s working as an Undergraduate Site Engineer for an internship, alongside her work as an Engineers Australia Ambassador. Simren spoke to Engineering News to share her experience and inspire other future engineers to step into the profession with confidence, trusting in what they’ve learned.

Do you think internship experiences are important, and have they added value to your career?  

Internships are invaluable as you get exposure to a wide range of experiences. You work with different people in your team across various aspects of a project, which helps you understand how everything comes together. This allows you to figure out what you enjoy and where your interests lie. Along the way, you’re learning from subject matter experts, receive mentorship and build meaningful professional connections.   

For me, this has added a real value by guiding my development, building my skills and shaping the kind of engineer I want to become. It has also helped me gain clarity on my career goals. 

What is some of the best advice you have received and what advice do you have for other young engineers?   

One of the best pieces of advice I’ve received is that as an engineer, you have to make quick calls. While not every call will be the right one, it’s better to make a decision than to have no decision at all.  

For young engineers, I’d say trust your judgement and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Engineering is fundamentally about problem-solving and part of that is learning through mistakes, solving them and continuously improving. 

Why is it important for you to give back to the profession? 

It’s important for me to give back to my profession because a lot of what we learn as engineers comes from the support and guidance of others. Giving back, whether that’s through sharing my experiences or being involved in professional organisations, such as Engineers Australia, allows me to help create opportunities for students. Just like others did for me when I was starting out.    

What are your hopes for your future in the engineering profession?  

I hope to grow into a well-rounded engineer, contributing to the delivery of projects and eventually mentoring others coming through the profession.