How founding the University's Rocketry Club helped launch an engineering career

Securing a graduate engineering role has become increasingly competitive, with employers looking for more than strong academic results. For University of Auckland mechanical engineering student Xander Snyman, standing out meant creating opportunities rather than waiting for them.

That mindset led him to establish the University of Auckland Rocketry Club in 2025 after recognising there was no student community dedicated to high-power rocketry. What began as an ambitious idea has quickly grown into a thriving student-led club where members learn to design, build and launch rockets while developing practical engineering, project management and leadership skills.

For Xander, the club became one of the defining experiences of his time at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.

Alongside his engineering studies, he embraced university life as an engineering class representative for the Auckland University Students' Association and competed in the University of Auckland Energy Case Competition to strengthen his presentation and consulting skills. Founding the Rocketry Club became another way to challenge himself beyond the classroom.

The club's first major initiative, a Level 1 Build Workshop and Launch Event, attracted more than 70 students. After months designing, building and testing their rockets, members travelled to the New Zealand Rocketry Association launch site at Orini near Huntly to see their work take flight.

The club's activities have included partnering with Women in Engineering to run hands-on workshops and supporting students through New Zealand Rocketry Association certification pathways. Recognising that long-term success depends on new leadership, Xander has transitioned from president to co-president to help the club continue beyond his graduation.

"It has shown employers that I can take initiative, organise people, lead a team and take responsibility," he says. "Those experiences made it easier to secure work."

The experience has complemented internships at New Zealand Steel and Air New Zealand, where he spent the summer working with the Design and Modifications Engineering team in Christchurch.

"I had an awesome time learning about aeronautics and aviation and was proud to make a real impact with the team," he says. "I'm very grateful for everything I learned and excited to carry that experience into my career."

That experience led to a graduate engineering position with Air New Zealand before he had completed his degree.

Alongside the Rocketry Club, Xander has been involved with the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) since 2024, making regular use of Kura Matahuna Unleash Space. After completing equipment training in soldering, 3D printing and other fabrication tools, the club began using the makerspace to manufacture components for its launches, including sewing parachutes.

CIE’s Technology and Prototyping Manager Trevor McGurk says what Xander and the other members of the Rocketry Club have achieved is “exceptional”.

"It takes a lot of determination to organise builds and launches. There are convoys to organise, health and safety responsibilities and so much more that goes into it,” he says.

This year the Rocketry Club became one of the first student organisations selected for CIE's Makerspace Residency programme, giving members an ongoing base for designing, building and testing their projects. The programme supports ambitious student teams developing technical projects and reflects the increasing role maker spaces play in helping students translate ideas into practical outcomes.

The timing is significant. New Zealand's space and advanced aviation sectors are expanding rapidly, with a 2025 MBIE report estimating the space sector contributes around $2.5 billion annually to the economy and supports approximately 17,000 full-time equivalent jobs. The Government has also identified both industries as strategic growth sectors over the coming decade.

For Xander, however, the biggest achievement isn't launching rockets. It's creating a community that will continue after he leaves.

"The Rocketry Club has the opportunity to inspire another generation of students to experiment, build and learn," he says.

As he prepares to begin his career with Air New Zealand, the club he founded continues to grow, creating exactly the kind of opportunities that helped launch his own career in the first place.