Profiles

Mr Paul Collins
Bachelor of Engineering (Mechancial Engineering)
Bachelor of Commerce (Management)

Paul Collins gained a whole lot more than he bargained for when he undertook studies for a double degree in Engineering and Commerce at Deakin’s Waurn Ponds campus.

Not only did he walk into full-time employment two days after completing his studies but by the end of his course he had gained enormous confidence in himself and his professional ability. He had also had a lot of fun along the way including a six-month study exchange to the University of Manitoba in Canada where he swapped his footy boots for ice hockey skates.

Tertiary qualifications aside, Paul, 25, found that one of the most rewarding aspects of university was being pushed out of his comfort zone. He had to move from the family home in Frankston to Geelong, he had to take responsibility for his own learning, and just when he was feeling comfortable he was on a flight to Canada.

‘When I arrived in Canada it was minus 25 and snowing. I had never seen snow before. I remember thinking “what have I got myself into” but it turned out to be an excellent experience,’ said Paul, adding that a study exchange was a ‘phenomenal’ experience that he would recommend to anyone.

Having worked in the automotive industry for a couple of years, Paul has now set himself a new challenge, a post graduate degree researching Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) crash analysis in lightweight automotive structures like sheet metal components.

With aspirations to become an industry leader in CAE work, Paul is well on track with his solid tertiary background. He noted that Engineering and Commerce was an excellent combination particularly because many engineers move into management roles. Also, the Commerce subjects challenged him to change his thinking processes.

‘Commerce is not like Maths where there is a right or wrong answer. You have to think outside the box ,’ said Paul.

Paul enjoyed the way the courses were structured with students being exposed to a broad range of subjects in first year before making elective choices. He enjoyed the practical emphasis of Engineering with lots of hands-on time in the campus workshop.

Living in residence certainly helped Paul’s transition to university.

‘In first year I had an instant group of friends from across all the faculties including students from other countries,’ said Paul, cautioning prospective students not to let the social side of university life and living in residence distract them from their studies. Paul can speak from experience, having failed a subject. However, he learned from the experience and went on to finish his course with H2A Honours and an insatiable appetite for learning.