Undertaking the Bachelor of Design (Architecture) course has been a dream come true as I always aspired to becoming a designer and an architect. Being enrolled in 2015 at the prestigious, world renowned Deakin University has been a stepping stone in directing my endeavours as a future professional into successfully delivering sustainable, durable and innovative solutions centred towards the demands of society. Reaching the Deakin Geelong Waterfront Campus as a novice student, I was nervous about finding my way to the lecture hall but was helped by a polite student representative who was very kind to guide me to the respective lecture hall. This was a wonderful start of an amazing journey and this enriching experience shall forever remain cherished in my mind and definitely helped me shape my bearings towards achieving a successful career in architecture.

“Deakin inspires creativity, innovation through technology and most importantly, helps us to become who we truly want to be.”

The well-disposed, benevolent teaching and non-teaching staff have really assisted me throughout the course as their approach has been a very considerate and good-hearted one with supportive tutors, friends and teammates all along the way. With the pioneering of new software and new technology, Deakin has pushed us to define new boundaries, new thresholds in all of the fields of study as well as in the industry, proved by its well-settled and powerful alumni and excellent teachers. Printing a three dimensional maquette or modelling an existing block of the city and assessing its performance are some of the everyday happenings at the hustling and bustling A+B Architecture studio. With those assets at hand, the possibilities are infinite and Deakin has effectively given us a glimpse of this brand-new world we are designing for.

Deakin Waterfront Campus in Geelong

The unit ‘Building Environmental Studies’ has been very exciting for me in regards to learning and self-development skills. The charismatic character of this exemplary unit did quench our underlying curiosity of finding new ways of building and engineering the right methods of calculation, whilst keeping in mind the long-term results performed by this well-thought out and orchestrated new design. I look forward to having further opportunities to engage this newly acquired knowledge into my other designs and set this as a principle to follow as a future architect.

“This enriching experience shall forever remain cherished in my mind and will definitely help me shape my bearings towards achieving a successful career in architecture.”

Samuel designs cars, prints in 3D and learns to surf

Hi, my name is Samuel Pardi and I am from Venezuela. I came to Australia wanting to achieve a higher level of education and to have international experience in the design industry.

On my trip to these goals I started with 10 weeks of English for Academic Purposes at the Waterfront Campus in Geelong. I was eager to experience new situations and cultures, and I feel I was blessed for choosing an English course in Geelong. DUELI in Geelong offers small classes that allow for more interaction between students and the lecturer. I met very fun and easy-going people from different cultures that I still am in contact with.

I have to say that I felt sad to leave the English course behind because I was so comfortable there, and the staff were so friendly and awesome. However, starting a master’s was an important experience for me to start developing new skills that made me feel more self-aware of my abilities in the engineering field. For instance, I had to design the suspension of a university race car within a team, and coming up with a working solution and seeing the real-life application was a boost to our confidence. Now I am keener to have an opportunity in the design industry in Australia.

I cannot say my master’s has been an easy course but I like it so far. I have improved in areas that I thought were not possible to improve, such as my communication skills and my leadership skills. Of course, I have chosen subjects that I feel will have more impact in my career, such as Engineering Leadership. Right now, I am doing my engineering project on 3D printing of titanium, which is highly related to the aerospace and biomedical industries. I am also preparing to apply for an internship for Trimester 1 of 2016. I hope to get the opportunity to start experiencing industry-related projects and to start showing my abilities as an engineer, especially the skills that I have developed at Deakin.

With my previous experience in Venezuela and an internship in Australia, more and better opportunities are around the corner for new and challenging positions within competitive industries. Nevertheless, participating in research and development teams, and being able to influence others with my personality and experience are one of my short-term objectives. As a long term-objective, I would like to create my own company with some ideas that I have developed during my master’s, and also influence society with products that are sustainable and sensible to community needs.

Although studying is important, having fun and enjoying life is what motivate us. So I also decided to try to surf and experience that environment. Of course, some of my friends were having a laugh at me because I was falling all the time. It is not as easy as it seems. But I definitely enjoy surfing, and I am going to keep trying this summer.

I want to conclude this post by telling you that anything is possible. I come from a developing country with a poor economy. I did not have many resources but I have kept fighting for my goals. I have been working part-time, studying, practicing English every day, and I still have time to enjoy my weekends and get good grades.

For further information about studying at Deakin and to view the many degrees on offer, visit our international student page. Or ask us a question by visiting our international student enquiry page – we’re happy to help you get to know Deakin better.

I decided to study Agribusiness in Australia as a pathway to expand my agricultural production knowledge and build on experience I gained back home in Zimbabwe. Studying agribusiness abroad would be the best way to learn global agriculture dynamics and transfer the knowledge back home.  

I am happy to be studying alongside budding, ambitious and like-minded Australians who are passionate and tuned into agriculture. The mixture of farming backgrounds at the college has added value and quality to the educational experience. The course delivery is from an in-depth industry perspective which makes the course relevant to the outside world. The flexibility of the course structure, delivery and access to facilities has allowed me to study and still nurture my small family. The study tours of China, Hong Kong and New Zealand capped off the whole study experience.

Marcus Oldham is a small community with significant outside influence. The great sense of community, comradery and heritage made it easy to settle in, network and be part of. Meeting students who came from all across Australia has been a natural introduction to the diversity of the country. Marcus Oldham has brought out my ability to adjust to new environments and social settings and to find a niche role within any group. The best way to enjoy the Australian culture is to get involved and have a go. In amongst the multicultural array of the country, I have experienced the complexity of many regions through travelling, the rich natural landscape, the great outdoors and the sporting culture of Australia.

With a year to complete the Bachelor of Agribusiness, I hope the refined business skills will propel my career further. Currently, I am the Assistant Mushroom Grower at Parwan Valley Mushrooms, Victoria.

Studying abroad gives a different perspective on past experiences and natural knowledge. The moment you step out from your doorstep you open yourself up to the world. Studying abroad is an excellent opportunity to see a different way of doing things and create memories for life. There is a lot to learn and remember you also have just as much to offer.

G'day Mates!! I’m Amber Robillard from Canada. As I am writing this it has been exactly one year since I boarded the plane headed for Australia. It doesn’t seem possible that everything I have done could be packed into just one year!

In the winter of 2013, my partner Barb and I started discussing the possibility of living somewhere warmer year-round. Australia was on the top of the list, but seemed very far away, however, the more we talked about it, the more appealing it became. What an adventure! Ayers Rock, the Australian outback, living by the water’s edge, surfing! Barb had always thought about living here and I had always wanted to visit. To be truthful, although I love to travel, I had never considered living long-term anywhere other than Canada.

I have always worked in and around the construction industry, having completed a Certificate of Construction Management. I wanted to further my education with a Bachelor of Construction Management (Honours) degree. The prospect of living and studying in Australia was very exciting. We began making plans. I had quite a few names on my list, but in the end I only applied to three universities, with Deakin as my first choice. It seemed to be the most progressive university, making its way up the list of various university rankings and the accelerated study opportunities were appealing. I boarded the plane in Ottawa, Canada on 27 June and landed in Melbourne on 29 June. With delays, customs, running for gates, many movies and a trip across the International Date Line, my travel time totalled 31 hours. A long way from home, although it was made easier thanks to Skype!

I only applied to three universities, with Deakin as my first choice. It seemed to be the most progressive university, making its way up the list of various university rankings and the accelerated study opportunities were appealing.

At the Geelong Waterfront Campus Library

My first trimester at Deakin was both challenging and rewarding. As a mature student returning to study, I hadn’t written a report or an essay in almost 20 years; however, professors and other students are readily available on online discussion boards. Recognising that starting in trimester 2 may introduce some unique challenges, Deakin staff and student volunteers held a tea meet-and-greet, for further support and chit-chat. After settling in, I continued my studies in trimester 3 where I chose to study one unit on-campus and two units wholly online. As it turns out, not having a full unit load right off the bat worked to my advantage. It allowed me the time to adjust to my surroundings and negotiate studying again. Trimester 1 of my second year proved that a fourth unit really tips the barrel. Deadlines become tighter and spare moments fewer. My time-off is saved mostly for school breaks and planned adventures.

Geelong is a great city for things to do, a short trip to Melbourne and down the coast from many adventures. Eastern Park, the Botanic Gardens, the Barwon River trails, Pako (Pakington) Street and the downtown core are all places we love and frequent. We have enjoyed the Night Jar Festival on Friday nights in February and hiked along the Great Ocean Trail during our trip to Anglesea, where we saw kangaroos for the first time. We have also biked the Bellarine Rail Trail to Queenscliff, with a side trip to Point Lonsdale. We love these little surfer towns, with the blue sky, surf and sandy beaches as the backdrop. 42 degree weather for Christmas is also a good thing, as is a feast of seafood!

Hitting the road on my bike

In March we bought a little car and set out for the Twelve Apostles. My first time driving in Australia was made all the more adventurous thanks to the narrow, twisty Great Ocean Road! Over Easter we ventured to Bells Beach to take in the Rip Curl Pro tournament and caught some great photos of professional surfers Mick Fanning and Jordie Smith during their free surf. We have since watched every event online and have become avid surfer wannabes, although stand-up paddle boarding may be more our speed.

At the Twelve Apostles by the Great Ocean Road

With all this talk of travel and adventure, it seems I have had no time for uni! But thank goodness for the breaks! The breaks represent a chance to step back, have a real look at the amount of work and learning that has been packed into eleven weeks and not worry for almost a month about deadlines and presentations. Deakin also understands how important a break is and hosts events throughout the school year, offering students a ‘breather’. Most recently, Deakin’s international students were treated to a day at Simonds Stadium to meet some of the Geelong Cats (a popular Australian rules football team), tour the stadium and run through some typical footy training exercises. This was topped off with a free ticket to the Cats’ exciting winning game against the GWS Giants, where I was given a scarf to fly the colours in support.

Studying overseas for four years seems like a long time at the starting line, but I am already halfway through my second year and the bachelor’s degree at the other end is getting closer with each submitted assignment. I have enjoyed every day in Australia, and as much as I look forward to the breaks, I also look forward to heading back to class and keeping the momentum going.