Alexander Ney

Alexander Ney

Q&A with Petroleum Engineering Student

1.     What attracted you to study Mining and Petroleum Engineering?

I chose to study petroleum engineering because the scale of the industry fascinated me. Figures like hundreds of millions of dollars or thousands of barrels per day are commonplace for the petroleum engineer and are a bit hard to even wrap your head around at first. Aside from that, petroleum engineering is a profession that is so globally transferable that one can end up in any corner of the planet if they so choose. So, it gives the opportunity to travel as a professional. I decided to do a double degree with mining engineering for many of the same reasons - it was another industry that fascinated me. The hardest choice with this double degree is deciding which one of the two to pursue as a future career!

2.     What would you say to current high school students looking to study Engineering at UNSW

UNSW is one of the top universities in the world, especially for engineering. The advantages that gives you in quality of education, graduate career opportunities, and exposure to world class innovations or technologies are significant. Additionally, there are heaps of things you can do outside of your academic life at UNSW to further your development as a professional or relax during your time off.

3.     How do you think your studies at UNSW will help in your career aspirations?

Probably the biggest help to my career aspirations is that UNSW uniquely offered me the ability to study a specific engineering degree as an undergraduate. Studying specialised types of engineering (like petroleum or mining) not only let me learn about what I wanted from day one, but also taught me relevant skills that only a handful of students in the country will get to learn at university. This made (and makes) me so much more employable as a graduate or even when I was looking for work experience over the summer.

4.     Can you share something about the mining and petroleum industry that might interest someone considering studies and a career in this industry?

Australia is one of the world leaders when it comes to natural resource production, and as demand grows with our global population, it is more important than ever to have a highly skilled group of engineers ready to face the associated challenges. It is therefore our job as future engineers to continue developing more efficient and less environmentally damaging methods to meet these demands. This can only be done by professionals with an excellent fundamental understanding, which is taught at UNSW. Being in Australia, UNSW is also at the forefront of innovations in the industry, which give us students a lot of valuable exposure to, and experience in the industry.

5.     What was your pathway into UNSW?

I completed the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in High School. UNSW accepts IB scores among many other global programmes, which is awesome.

6.     Is there anything else that you would like to share about the benefits of your UNSW experience?

The student life and culture at UNSW are great. No matter what your hobby or favourite pass-time is, there's a group for you. There are world-class facilities to study in, clubs dedicated to just about any sport you've ever heard of, and always some social event to get involved in. What is great about both mining and petroleum is that both cohorts have societies dedicated to professional development and networking with industry- The Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy- AusIMM Sydney Student Chapter and the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE). That's another opportunity to get a head start in your career, and it also lets you make good friends with your peers while here. Plus, the city of Sydney really is iconic and has so much to offer for those who never lived here (like me)!

7.     Anything else you would like to add?

I had many choices of where to study when I finished high school, but I decided to go to UNSW because I believed it would be the best thing I could do for my future career and that UNSW would give me the most opportunities as a graduate entering the industry. Now that I’m in my final term, I can say with confidence that I made a great choice, and it is paying off so far.

I can also reflect on my journey as a student and want to remind anyone entering university - even if it sounds a bit cliche - that this is a time and place to work hard, but also to enjoy yourself. Get out there, meet new people, discover new places, do new things, and take full advantage of what UNSW has to offer, there really is a lot!

“Petroleum engineering is a profession that is so globally transferable that one can end up in any corner of the planet if they so choose. So, it gives the opportunity to travel as a professional. I decided to do a double degree with mining engineering for many of the same reasons - it was another industry that fascinated me.”