Michael Hardy and Ben Martin: Why choose Engineering?
Michael Hardy and Ben Martin, now in their final year of the BE(Hons) specialising in Civil Engineering, share what drew them to the field, how their understanding of it has evolved, and offer insights for anyone considering a future in engineering.
Programme: Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
Specialisation: Software Engineering
Final Year Project: Digitising mental health tool, The Gift Box, to improve access to support
Why did you choose to study Engineering?
Michael: For me, I've always just loved problem-solving, and engineering is problem-solving. As well as that, I feel like it teaches you skills that are applicable to pretty much any industry. So, it's sort of an all doors are open degree.
Ben: I chose to study Engineering mainly because I wanted to do a degree that had an impact on the world. In high school, I really enjoyed problem-solving, and I enjoyed mathematics, so I thought engineering would be the perfect mix of those two while still being able to make sort of a physical impact.
Why did you choose to study at the University of Auckland?
Michael: I chose to study at the University of Auckland because I think it has a really significant name. I think the name 'University of Auckland' is highly regarded, not just in New Zealand, but also in the world.
Ben: I’m originally from Tauranga, so I chose to study in Auckland because it's quite a big city. You know you want to make an impact, so you go to the biggest place possible where there are a lot of opportunities.
What was your perception of Engineering prior to studying vs. now as a student in the field?
Michael: When I was in high school, I thought that engineering was just buildings, tunnels, roads, bridges. I didn't even know that chemical engineering existed, and that software engineering existed, but I'm glad that I found out because I managed to find Software Engineering which has been really good fun for me.
Ben: In high school, I thought engineering was building bridges and roads, so going into Engineering at the University of Auckland, I had the idea of doing Civil Engineering, as I thought that was all I could really do.
But once I started, my eyes really opened. In my first year of Engineering, I was exposed to all the different specialisations to get a taster for what each of them would be like. There's so many opportunities and I found Software Engineering, which I really enjoyed.
What would you say to high school students who might be considering studying Engineering?
Michael: I had no idea what I wanted to do when I left high school. I think Engineering offers such a wide range of things that you can try, especially in the first year. You get a little taste of every piece of engineering and that helps you make a decision.
Ben: I would say just give it a go, even if you're unsure of what you want to do. You've got a whole year to decide what you want to go into; you can try out different things and see what you enjoy.
Ready to begin your journey in Engineering? Start your application for the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) programme.