Angela Xie's insights on her engineering placement

What motivated you to apply for the MIPPS program?

I was motivated to apply for the MIPPS program because I thought it was a fantastic opportunity to gain insight into the field of chemical engineering. I also thought it would be a great opportunity to work in the industry while completing study credits and my honours thesis at the same time.

What was your experience of the program like? Can you share any highlights?

My experience of this program has been a lot of independent research, study, experimentation, and writing. Through the program, I have been working at my desk but also had a lot of opportunities to go out to the water treatment plant, take samples and do field work. I have learnt so much from this experience and I’m really thankful for all I’ve learnt from it. One highlight I remember was leaving work and seeing the Griffith Water Reclamation Plant overrun with adorable goats and lambs, as a nearby farmer had left their gate unlocked!

What were the biggest challenges, and how did you overcome them?

One big challenge I had was defining the project that I was going to work on. Since the MIPPS program is only six months, it was difficult to gain an accurate scope of the project from the beginning and know how much of it I would be able to achieve during this timeframe. To overcome this, I’ve had to learn to plan for things in shorter time frames, week by week but also to learn to adapt to changes or unexpected barriers as they come.

Personally for me as well, since my placement was in regional NSW in Griffith, I also dealt with the challenges that comes with living on my own and balancing that with full-time work.

What skills did you develop during your program?

Through the program,  I’ve learned many technical and soft skills through the MIPPS program. On the technical side, I’ve learned a lot of research skills, risk management strategies, water treatment techniques and academic writing through completing my thesis. Alongside these skills, I’ve also learnt a lot about communicating with stakeholders, project and time management.

How has the MIPPS program influenced your career goals or plans?

The MIPPS program has given me a lot of insight into many different fields of chemical engineering. Not only has my project taught me a lot about the water and wastewater industries but through attending the MIPPS presentation days and watching my peers’ presentations on their projects I’ve also learnt a lot about other industries such as gas production, food production, and many more. This has helped me decide which companies and industries I want to work in after I graduate.

Do you have any advice for other students wanting to take part in the MIPPS program?

My advice for students wanting to take part in the MIPPS program is to be prepared for change. Full-time work, working independently on your project and thesis is very different to a normal university semester and is equally hard work but in a different way. The project will naturally bring ups and downs throughout the six months so be prepared for the unexpected and be prepared for being outside of your comfort zone. Every project is unique and different so it’s not possible to compare one student’s project to their peers or any previous student’s experience. Also, be prepared for the opportunity to complete your placement outside of Sydney and the challenges or changes that could come with that.