Designing a career with impact

Nardo Wai gained valuable industry skills studying architectural engineering at Victoria University (VU). Now, he’s deepening his expertise with PhD research focused on sustainable design solutions.

“Before I came to Australia, I was working in Hong Kong as a draftsperson in an engineering consulting firm.

“I decided to develop my career and do a full bachelor degree. I chose VU because I wanted to study both architectural design and engineering, and there's not many universities that offer both components in one bachelor degree.

“When I arrived to start my Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Architectural Engineering), VU was really welcoming.

“I met a lot of friends from all over the world, and we keep in touch after graduating. It's great to see them now working on some major engineering projects in Melbourne.”

A better way to study

“VU is really focused on teaching differently. They have small class sizes, so you have a chance to get to know your teachers and your classmates really well.

“The teachers really make an effort to know students individually, and get to know your learning style and how you’re progressing.

“The cool thing about the VU Block Model® is you only need to focus on one subject at one time, and it really helped with time management. Another benefit is that you don't need to worry about three exams in one day at the end of the semester.”

Developing job-ready skills

“VU has really good industry connections. I did an industry mentoring program, where I had a chance to meet with people who work in the industry. That was really good for my work experience.

“There are also a lot of great student services available at VU. The first service I used is VU Employ, which gave me some great advice on improving my employability, as well as advice on my resume and interview tips.”

Research with real-world impact

“In my final year, my supervisor encouraged me to go deeper in research, and that's why I decided to do a PhD.

“My PhD project is focused on livable urban planning. In the city, the temperature is usually higher so we rely on air conditioning, which has high energy consumption and high carbon emissions. So I'm investigating more sustainable solutions, such as increasing vegetation coverage and better building materials.

“In the future, I would love to collaborate with academics on the international level to help build a more sustainable world.

“With all the opportunities at VU, I really feel I have improved my personal and employability skills, and I'm really looking forward to an exciting future.”

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