[Advice needed] Internships during My Last Year of Uni (Bachelor Degree)

SDF05 on 30/05/2019 - 22:43

Hi everyone,

I'm currently in my 5th year in my engineering degree right now (i know, i failed a few subjects that got dragged onto another year, that was my fault, but i'm doing good this year). I didn't really take the chance to do any internships in the past few years when i had the chance. I just wanted to know if i still have a chance before i graduate this year, and i'll even take unpaid internships (money is not the issue for me, but rather the actual outside engineering experience that i get). I also have a completed Associate Degree in Eng Technology so i wonder if i can put that as something that will help me be a good candidate to have an opportunity to get internships.

Sorry, it might seem vague but i just want to see whether it's still possible for me to achieve something successful other than finishing my degree, and getting use out of two degrees and the skills and knowledge i've gained over the year without wasting it away.

Thanks.

Education & Work

Comments

  • Tasmaniac on 30/05/2019 - 23:17
    +1

    How many units did you fail ?. It must of been a real wake up call. Did the uni make you pay again ?.

    • SDF05 on 30/05/2019 - 23:19

      I failed about 4, and no the uni never asked me to pay them back (i assume since i did them well the second time they were fine with it). But yeah it was a wake up call i definitely needed, especially since end of last year i've been working hard as much as possible. Sometimes i have to learn someway (though i wish i learnt this a bit earlier, but i can't rewind the time that's already passed).

      • FireRunner on 30/05/2019 - 23:33
        +3

        Huh, you didn't have to pay for the courses you flunked?

        • SDF05 on 30/05/2019 - 23:52

          It's still through Hecs, and so far they never said anything to me so i guess that would mean i'm fine? I was kinda fearing that, but then again i learnt a great lesson in not failing anymore, so as long as they see i'm back on track they'd be fine with Hecs covering it for me (for now).

          • ChillBro on 31/05/2019 - 03:14
            +8

            @SDF05: Thought failed subjects get added to the bill as with ones you passed. May want to check your HECS status but either way it doesn't matter that much.

            • SDF05 on 31/05/2019 - 11:01

              @ChillBro: Oh yeah sorry that's what i meant as well, they do count for the bill, but it's okay since it's around 11k for now (along with the repeated courses).

          • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 31/05/2019 - 09:05
            +1

            @SDF05: Failed subjects accrue HECS exactly the same as completed subjected.

            You can check your current balance via the MyGov website.

            • SDF05 on 31/05/2019 - 11:03

              @Typical16-bitEnjoyer: Yeah they do, which i already know, and i've checked the balance too. I think the question was more about paying them directly without HECS if i fail, which i didn't so far. I assume since i don't have any bad behaviour and i do turn up to classes, they see no reason for me to do that and put it on HECS as completing another course.

        • dust on 31/05/2019 - 09:23
          +1

          You get charged for each time you attempt a course (provided you don't drop off before census date) regardless of pass/failure.

          • SDF05 on 31/05/2019 - 11:04

            @dust: Yup, that's how it works but some of the friends (and friends of friends) that i know have said that they had to pay directly after failing a certain amount of subjects in a semester. Luckily i only managed to fail two for one semester and another two for another semester (i'm not proud of it, but i am very lucky to survive that).

            • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 31/05/2019 - 11:40

              @SDF05: That doesn't sound right. The Uni doesn't have input into HECS.

              Failing a single subject repeatedly may jeopardize HECS eligibility for that single unit. More likely they will probably face that Uni's academic committee and risk exclusion.

              • SDF05 on 31/05/2019 - 11:56

                @Typical16-bitEnjoyer: Maybe i just didn't fail repeatedly? I failed once so somehow they were fine with that? I assume if i failed that subject again i would've faced consequences in paying for that specific course myself.

                • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 31/05/2019 - 13:38
                  +1

                  @SDF05: The Uni doesn't have input into HECS.

                  You enrol in a subject. HECS/HELP "pays" the uni. You either pass, fail or withdraw from the unit prior to a census date (and if you withdraw then the Uni receives $0)

                  If you fail a specific unit once I've never heard of a Uni doing anything. Fail the same specific unit twice and you'll likely be called to attend an academic committee.

                  Either way your uni doesn't care. They're getting paid. It's only if HECS/HELP were to stop paying, by becoming ineligible etc., that your Uni would approach you to pay your semester invoice directly.

                  • SDF05 on 31/05/2019 - 20:43

                    @Typical16-bitEnjoyer: I guess I'm still eligible by HECS/HELP standards so I think I'm fine for now. But I'll have a look into it again just in case. I was afraid of that before but it's been so long since I failed so I didn't worry about it afterwards. But I'll definitely have a look at it again.

    • fantombloo on 31/05/2019 - 07:49
      +1

      I reckon barely half of my intake year graduated in minimum time; the rest failed at least one subject. IME it's not uncommon in engineering.

      • SDF05 on 31/05/2019 - 11:06

        I've had a couple of people staying until their 5th year; i think for me what made it more awful was that i failed about 4 subjects, which feels like i didn't use my time and didn't stay consistent enough (which i'm trying to fix starting from end of last year, and it was my fault for getting into it the first place). Failing two subjects is fine but the way i failed my subjects i felt like i just didn't have it in me at the time.

  • bdl on 30/05/2019 - 23:27
    +3

    Speak to your Uni, they can assess your performance and future plans/interests/wants and give you the best advice… Don't stress about failing subjects in the past, it happens to the best of us!

    • SDF05 on 30/05/2019 - 23:55
      +1

      I think after my exams end i will definitely go and talk to someone that can assist with me planning my future and setting up any internships that i can get as soon as possible. And thank you for your kind words.

  • FireRunner on 30/05/2019 - 23:34
    +2

    Don't most Unis have an employment team that gives advise on getting job and internships?

    • SDF05 on 30/05/2019 - 23:54

      They do, i just failed to take advantage of them. I've mostly been unenthusiastic and kinda suffering from chronic procrastination (still trying to get over it, but much better than last year) so i kept it too late in a way. And i think i was just hopeless from all the failings i had which made it much worse for me to fear about even applying.

  • cille745 on 30/05/2019 - 23:56
    +1

    Which uni do you go to? I might be able to help

    • SDF05 on 31/05/2019 - 00:29

      RMIT University actually.

      • cille745 on 31/05/2019 - 00:40

        Not quite sure how it works at RMIT, but at swinburne we have a Professional Placements portal where we can apply for different internships etc, pretty sure RMIT would have something similar

        • SDF05 on 31/05/2019 - 11:07
          +1

          They have the RMIT portal, which i'm checking out these days but i can't apply yet since i have a lot of assignments left to finish. I'll have another try when my exams are finished in about a few weeks or so. Thanks for the help regardless, appreciate it.

  • trustnoone on 31/05/2019 - 02:41
    +2

    Yeah you can get them, but you may find it more difficult getting into the harder internships, for example those companies that have 50 steps to do an internship with them (CV/Cover letter->Online Form->Psychometric Test->Behavioural test->Numbers test->Phone Interview->Real Life interview->Referees->then JOB). Ughhh I hated looking for grad/internship programs doing engineering. If your uni has a place that helps you, definitely try them, it would make things much easier. But most places assume you're doing it the year before graduation so I think it works out.

    Personally I just emailed a place and after like 4 months, they got back to me asking me to start next week out of the blue (for free though) so you just never know how things turn out. But you can definitely find one, especially if you're okay with doing it for free, it just takes quite a bit of time, effort and luck. Good luck!

    • SDF05 on 31/05/2019 - 11:09

      Yeah i think i just made my pathway a bit more difficult in getting a good job on the first go, which was pretty much my fault, but i'm not looking for money as of now, looking for work experience and connections in the industry, and getting familiar with engineering applications in real life and the procedures that we have to go through, so i'm pretty much willing to try anything in my field.

      I'll keep trying through RMIT portal and the links they send us, thanks for the help as well.

  • orangetrain on 31/05/2019 - 08:18
    +1

    I failed one course, didn't get internship or to interview. Despite cover letters and passing many online tests. If it gets hopeless, apply for an actual job and don't provide a transcript.

    • SDF05 on 31/05/2019 - 12:11

      I guess i will have to go through a similar process but i'm willing to do anything at this stage to enter into the engineering workforce and making something out of myself. But i'll keep trying. Thanks for the advice.

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 31/05/2019 - 09:07
    +1

    Don't worry about failed subjects. Your transcript is not "you". Might make things a little harder for that first postgrad job, but nobody will GAF about your uni results after that one.

    • SDF05 on 31/05/2019 - 11:12

      I think for me it's very important for me to get that first postgrad job, but you're right nobody will care about uni results afterwards, as long as you got a piece of paper saying you did a degree relating to that field.

      It's just for now i'm trying to aim for that first postgrad job by trying to do an internship and get some experience before i leave uni. And with how much i failed and how long i waited it just makes it harder for me to get into the engineering workforce. Regardless, thank you for kind words.

  • Randxyz123 on 31/05/2019 - 09:46
    +1

    First of all, as long as you picked yourself up many employers won’t be too fused about a fail or 2 fails. Students fail for all sorts of reasons and it shouldn’t matter.

    I failed a couple of subjects and it really wasn’t a big problem. One semester I dropped back to 3 subjects and that really helped me. Don’t stress yourself out about it. Don’t let anyone tell you that it’s a big deal.

    You said you go to RMIT, I know when I went (graduated about 2 years ago) there was a grad jobs /intern search page. I’ll try and dig through my bookmarks a bit later and see if I can find it. It was a site that required your student number and password from what I remember. I think it was careerhub or something. A lot of companies do advertise there so it would be worth checking out.

    RMIT also have a service that helps you with your resume.

    I also know if you look on whirlpool a lot of the big companies advertise there and have a employee monitoring it for questions.

    Focus on your exams and final assessments right now then worry about internships.

    • SDF05 on 31/05/2019 - 11:15

      I think for me i failed 4 subjects so that was a bit extreme. But i can't turn that time back, i can only go forward.

      And yeah RMIT provides a lot of resources, but some of the jobs require probably more experience people than me so i kinda get discouraged by it. I will definitely apply as much as i can after i finish my exams and final assignments. And i think you're talking about RMIT portal where they show job offers.

      I'll also go to the job careers shop and fix my resume up before i apply for any internship as well.

      Thanks for the advice again!

      • Randxyz123 on 31/05/2019 - 21:45
        +1

        Don’t be discouraged. Just apply, 4 subjects isn’t extreme. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise

  • akajin on 31/05/2019 - 11:49
    +1

    I was lucky to score a vacation employment program with Land Engineering Agency (Part of DMO) 10 years ago.
    All I did was send an email with my cover letter and resume attached.
    There were no interviews at all and I just got a phone call to fill some forms in to get security clearance.
    I talked to others who got the job as well and found they didn't do any interview either.

    I suspect since not many people applied, anyone who applied got the job.

    The only form of application was through one email address and this could only be obtained through RMIT careers fair and Engineering Employment Handbook by Engineers Australia at the time to my knowledge.

    Engineering Employment Handbook list of over 100 companies you can apply as undergraduate/graduate Engineer but not many people knew the existence.

    Not all companies will ask you for your results so you should be able to score an internship if you know where to look.

    • SDF05 on 31/05/2019 - 20:44

      Thanks for the advice, and I guess it's nice to know people who were in a similar situation like me. But still I'll keep trying.

  • Caped Baldy on 31/05/2019 - 12:41
    +1

    There's a saying that goes a good engineer finishes a four year degree in five years. So nothing to worry about there, make sure you have the right attitude.

    Don't give up, expect to be ignored by a lot of companies. I only did my summer work experience at the end of my final year which continued on to a grad position.

    • SDF05 on 31/05/2019 - 20:46

      Thank you for the kind words. Yeah I won't give up, it's my last year and I'll do whatever it takes to get use out of this degree rather than waste it. Plus i'm almost there, I know a company would take an opportunity to see how good I can be as an engineer soon so I'll keep trying. Thanks again.

  • OG Puppy Banana on 06/06/2019 - 15:54
    +1

    Absolutely doable!

    Pro-tip - Keep all doors open during your graduate recruitment rounds, even govt and mining (change of state). Also, don't let your WAM be too great a hindrance (employers don't feel that way - unless it's under 55) and potentially look at areas that aren't directly related to your degree, but of interest to you.

    I think that the worst thing you can do is apply to three destination firms, lose all three, then start a masters degree because you missed your grad round (happens far too often these days!)

    A few years ago, my graduating WAM was 67.X and I was offered a grad role from 2/4 Big 4, two US Tech Consulting firms and a bank - no internships on my resume either.

    Maybe start working on your interview skills and technical tests as they are far more valued than a WAM.

    Good luck!

    • SDF05 on 07/06/2019 - 15:04

      Thanks for the pro-tip. My WAM is currently around 50 so i hope with this year it gets boosted up to at most 60. So maybe that might be a issue but i'll try to apply anyways.

  • SDF05 on 04/08/2019 - 22:05

    Update (since i can't edit the original post): Recently applied for a placement and it was successful!! I'm starting in about a week so i'm really glad for all the advices in here. I really hope it goes well for myself and anyone else struggling like i did! Thanks again for all the advices everyone!

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