Final-year 'Co-op' engineering student Ben Dinsdale and about 50 of his counterparts recently gave presentations on their latest industry placements, for which they have been based at work sites across Australia.

One lucky power engineering student - Alex Guinane - even managed to score a placement at the ABB power and automation technology group site in Zurich, Switzerland.

'Co-op' engineering students (clockwise from top left) David Steele, Adam Stewart, Joel Spann, Ben Dinsdale and James Bulman

Co-op students spend at least 12 months of their degree being paid to work in two different industry placements, meaning they have a great chance to get their foot in the door of employment before graduating.

Ben says he has enjoyed working with 'big toys' including draglines, haul trucks and steam turbines while on placements at a coal mine near Dysart and at a power station near Kingaroy.

Each of his industry placements lasted eight months, giving Ben a preference for working on site or in the field, rather than being stuck in a corporate office in Brisbane.

"It's good to be able to get out of the office and to get close up to the machinery, rather than relying on graphical drawings on the computer," he says.

Ben Dinsdale checks one of the three station air compressors at Tarong North power stationCQUniversity Engineering Co-Op:  4½ year professional engineering program where students undertake two x 6 months full-time paid employment in industry.  The first is in the first half of their third year and the second is in the second half of their fourth year.  Students receive the dual award of Bachelor of Engineering (Co-Op) and Diploma of Professional Practice on graduation.

Details at http://seh-coop.cqu.edu.au/FCWViewer/view.do?page=693