Olivia Alvarez didn’t know what aspect of engineering to focus on before uni, now she loves the practical learning aspects of her UTS Mechatronics degree
It can be hard to figure out what you want to do right out of high school! Olivia Alvarez knows that better than most, and found her perfect university fit through the UTS Flexible Engineering course. Flexible Engineering is a major that allows you to design your own engineering degree, making it a custom fit!
“Being able to have that flexibility with a major placed a lot less stress on my university journey and allowed me to take my time in talking to my peers and degree coordinator about my options.”
After taking a course on introduction to mechatronics (technology + electronics + mechanical engineering), Olivia decided that was the path for her, and swapped her major – but she has plenty of peers who have opted to do a fully flexible degree, customising their learning with support from the faculty.
Olivia chose UTS based on what she saw at their Open Day – she loved the welcoming vibe and focus on hands-on learning.
“The best things I’ve experienced while studying here are probably the people I’ve met and the resulting events I’ve been able to participate in.”
Another aspect of UTS uni life that Olivia loves is the society Engineers Without Borders (EWB), a group of engineers who organise humanitarian youth outreach workshops for schools in lower socioeconomic areas.
“As someone who went to a high school with not the strongest STEM program, I really resonated with what these workshops aim to do.”
The UTS Mechatronics degree allows students to take studio subjects, undertaking a project throughout a whole semester. Olivia says this has allowed her to participate in awesome projects such as a “catapult, step tracking system, pinball machine, water pump, autonomous robot and simulated environments.”
She is excited to take on more projects in her career, and focus on sustainability within mechatronics.
Olivia’s career path
- Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) – Mechatronics at University of Technology Sydney
- Student Ambassador at University of Technology Sydney
This feature was brought to you in partnership with the UTS Faculty of Engineering and IT
