CQUniversity Mechanical Engineering student Martin O'Driscoll has been comparing the levels of temperature, humidity and energy consumption in two air-conditioned shipping containers located on Rockhampton Campus. One is covered by a 'green roof' of plants and the other is not.

He'll be presenting his research findings on the energy-saving benefits of green roofs at a Graduating Engineers Conference (GECon^™) on June 13 on Rockhampton Campus. His project supervisor was Associate Professor Mohammad Rasul.

Martin O'Driscoll with his 'green roof' project

Forty-four engineering students who are nearing graduation will also be on the program with real-world project presentations and poster displays ranging across the fields of transport, energy, mining and resources, sustainability and infrastructure.

Major government departments and private companies have co-supervised technical aspects of the projects. Some of the research is 'commercial-in-confidence'.

Research projects are just one way of ensuring CQUniversity Engineering graduates are primed for the workplace.

Martin says the most useful aspect of his course has been the availability of Co-Op placements (paid work placements) in relevant industries.

"The experience gained in the workforce is invaluable, cannot be learnt in a classroom, and is something that many employers look for," he says.

"After my first year as a student, I worked at Gladstone Ports Corporation for four months. For my first Co-Op placement, I worked for Queensland Alumina Limited for eight months. During my next summer holidays, I undertook vacation work at Queensland Alumina for another three months. My second Co-Op placement was during the second half of my fourth year when I worked for eight months at Queensland Energy Resources."

CQUniversity's Bachelor of Engineering (Co-op)/Diploma of Professional Practice program features two six-month paid work placements as well as project-based learning. This allows students to develop the technical and professional skills required to work as an engineer in real-life contexts and graduate with one year of industry experience.

The work experience component of this program gives students an opportunity to put learning into practice while experiencing different workplace cultures. Students can also develop important interview and application skills through the completion of this combined program.

Students have the opportunity to apply for work placement overseas to enhance their global learning experience. Previous students have worked in exciting locations, including the USA for bridge construction and in Switzerland for international engineering projects.

Specialisations are available in Civil, Electrical and Mechanical. Visit http://www.cqu.edu.au/explore for details.