UNSW hosts Indigenous Australian Engineering School

The IAES program brought together 25 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students from across the country, with some travelling from as far as Northern Queensland to spend a week immersed in engineering at UNSW.

Throughout the week, students took part in a range of hands-on engineering activities, heard from industry professionals, learned about university life, and explored the exciting opportunities that a future in engineering can offer.

They also had the opportunity to engage with different branches of engineering through activities delivered by the UNSW Schools of Chemical Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications, Minerals and Energy Resources Engineering, and Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering. 

These sessions offered a practical and inspiring introduction to the world of engineering, with glowing feedback received from the students. One of the participants said, “This was one of, if not my favourite experience of all time, it was set out so perfectly, and the vibes were immaculate from everyone which really helped a lot.”

“Not only that, but this was a huge eye-opener into the world of engineering. It has really changed my perspective on the topic itself and even just life on campus, it was so much fun.”

The students attended a graduation dinner and awards night at the end of the week, where they were each awarded a certificate for their participation. They also heard from Leon Oriti, an Electrical Engineer and proud IAES alumnus who first attended IAES as a high school student from Western Australia and later returned to UNSW to study engineering. In his keynote address, Leon spoke about his personal journey and shared words of encouragement with the students.

First launched in 1999, the IAES has a strong legacy of inspiring Indigenous students to pursue careers in engineering. This year marked the 28th IAES, and UNSW was once again honoured to host the program on campus.