While many graduating engineers were celebrating coming to the end of their studies last week at CQUniversity's Graduating Engineers Conference (GECon^TM 2011), some were having a double celebration as they confirmed getting their first job as a qualified engineer.

Among the students who already have secured employment was civil engineering graduate Pieter Els.

Ben and Pieter Els celebrate the final days of their university study with their mother Mari Els.While completing his studies, Pieter had been working with infrastructure consulting company Cardno and now with his formal qualifications has confirmed a contract with Cardno servicing the Department of Main Roads.

"I have been employed to work on rebuilding the national road network after this year's natural disasters," Pieter said.

"I am very excited about the opportunity and look forward to growing my career."

"I have been working with Cardno for the past three years while I have been studying and have enjoyed the opportunity to gain practical experience and advice from professionals who are working in the industry. I found this a great benefit in my studies."

The 26-year-old has been studying at CQUniversity for four and a half years after moving from South Africa with his family in 2006.

"It was a bit difficult at first as my first language is Afrikaans, but as my brother was studying at the same time we helped each other and got through."

Pieter's 24-year-old brother Ben Els is also graduating with the knowledge that a position awaits him. He has secured a mining engineering position with Anglo American.

The Els brothers last week joined other final-year engineering students who showcased their talents to peers, industry employers, high school students and the wider Central Queensland community at GECon^TM.

GECon^TM included 45 final-year student project presentations and a poster exhibition, which allowed students to exhibit their insight into engineering principles, while providing innovative solutions for some complex engineering problems.

Presentation topics included a Dawson Mine Control Voltage Audit (Ben Els), Chemical Spray Unit Design for Sugar Cane Industries (Stephen Shew), the Impact of Heavy Vehicles on Road Assets Built Over Tidal Flats (Bajool - Port Alma Road), Coal Seam Gas Water Management (Abby Smith), a Feasibility Study for the Proposed Gladstone Ports Corporation Limited Tug (Myles Kennedy), and a Study to Find the Feasibility of Fly Ash in a Concrete Mix for Landscape Application (Elise Pratt).

Conference organiser Dr Fae Martin said the Conference enabled students to showcase their work to the community and also provided a recruitment opportunity for industry.

"GECon^TM allows industry to view the talented new graduates before they officially complete their degrees and to identify suitable employees for their organisations," Dr Martin said.

"The Conference also allows high school students to learn more about what CQUniversity's engineering programs have to offer and the broad range of projects students have the opportunity to participate in."