Hear from the students that have done it already and learn about their experiences working in industry. Learn all about Marceline's early career journey in engineering including the opportunities and challenges she's had to go through whilst on the job. 

Marceline Overduin

Name: Marceline Overduin

Location: South Australia

University and Course: Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours), The University of Adelaide

Graduation: 2020

Where did you undertake your internship?

 Here are some of the places where I did an internship at: 

  • Geelen Counterflow in the Engineering team (Manufacturing industry)
  • Nuon in the Risk Management team (Consultancy)
  • Rijkswaterstaat in the Asset Management team (Government)
  • Frazer-Nash Consultancy in the Asset Management team (Consultancy)
Why did you choose to complete an internship early in your degree? 

I chose to complete internships early in my degree to gain a better understanding and appreciation of the day-to-day role of an engineer.

How did you find out about your internship opportunity?

The first three internships were a result of networking, leveraging familial networks in the Netherlands and being open-minded to whatever opportunities emerged. The fourth internship was obtained by applying the traditional way, but networking played a role here as well.

What opportunities has your internship given you?

It’s giving me further employment, my role as an Engineer at Frazer-Nash Consultancy was a direct result of my internship here. Other opportunities include referrals, the ability to see (and be in awe of!) assets in person, and scenarios to talk about during interviews.

What advantages has completing the internship given you? 

There are many advantages to completing internships early. One of the standouts for me include the ability to dabble in a range of mechanical engineering disciplines (design, risk, asset management). The knowledge gained in each discipline, and the networks established, were just two of the benefits that I think have shaped me to the engineer I am today.

What was the biggest challenge you faced during your internship?

Learning how to communicate well and effectively. No project is completed in isolation, so learning how to ask for help (and from whom) was a very important learning curve. Most of this challenge was inside my own head, where I was worried about ‘not knowing enough’ but the responses were always informative and delivered without judgement.

What was the main thing that you learnt during your internship that you’ve since been able to apply to your professional life/studies?

Being a well-rounded and effective engineer requires not only technical knowledge, but also the ability to communicate well with a broad audience. The other lesson learned was the importance of understanding what is important to the audience you’re working for, collaborating with, or presenting to.