What are your major responsibilities/duties in your current role?
I develop product design from an early phase, with a focus on creating solutions to existing problems. I have had the opportunity to work on aerodynamic design, and have also developed several user interaction mechanisms. This means a lot of drawings in pen and paper, exploring ideas and concepts. I then look into the details such as material selection, statistical variation and production tolerances, which are critical to develop robust solutions.
What is the best part of your job?
Many times, I had to scrap an idea completely and go back to the drawing board, which is challenging but the most rewarding aspect of my role once I get something working. I learn something new every day and this pushes me to become a better engineer.
Why did you choose the University of Southampton Malaysia?
I wanted to study in the UK due to the quality of education, but 4 years would be very expensive. When I heard about University of Southampton Malaysia (UoSM) it offered the best of both worlds; world-class education close to home and the chance to experience living in the UK and access to its research facilities. I was particularly impressed by the quality and innovation of the student projects in the MEng degree programme.
What were the best things about studying at the University of Southampton Malaysia Campus and UK Campus?
Opportunities are aplenty – I was able to secure a research exchange to JAIST in Ishikawa, Japan and learn about graphene technology even though I had no prior experience. Prior to that, I also worked on designing a data logging device for a research project at UoSM as an electronics intern – I was struggling to understand all the communication protocols on the microcontroller, coming from a different background!
I think that is what really stands out about Southampton in engineering education – it encourages a holistic and practical approach that is very much relevant to the industry.
What did you most enjoy about your degree programme?
The challenge of the student projects, designing and tinkering in the workshops, and using computer-aided engineering to verify design. It was scary at first to see how much of the degree is really getting hands-on in project work, but I realised how much faster I was gaining new skills by putting theory into practice.
How did the University help prepare you for employment?
5 years ago, before I started this journey at UoS, I had assumed that I will only need to study hard and get good grades to become an engineer.
UoS gave me many opportunities to realise how important it was to have working experience. It was through my internship experiences at the University that I learnt how to collaborate with others, present and package my work, even learning how to use Photoshop.
What advice would you give to current students to help them secure their first job?
I would highly recommend internships as a way to foster both technical and interpersonal skills. They teach you to be persistent, opportunistic and comfortable with the unknown. Look through the job opportunities listed on MyCareer, ask lecturers for internship or research opportunities. Take advantage of the Future Worlds and guest speaker events that frequented Highfield Campus. Most of all, enjoy!
