Students present final projects at Engineering Conference
Published on 25 June, 2009
Final-year engineering students gathered at CQUniversity's Rockhampton Campus last Friday (June 19) to demonstrate the regional relevance of their major projects.
The annual GECon (graduating engineers conference) covered topics as diverse as scaffold safety, water supply infrastructure, coal mine electricity system protection, flood mitigation, highway design, biofuels and level crossing control.
Dr Fae Martin and Celisa Wilschefski from Calliope have a chat about life after uni at this week's GECon (Graduating Engineers Conference).The conference included networking between students, academics and industry representatives.
Conference organiser Dr Fae Martin said the Conference was a culmination of years of hard work for the students.
Link to video of interviews with Dr Martin and students.
She said many of the projects presented had been generated through the students' paid work placements this year.
One such project was the Mount Larcom Water Supply Infrastructure Proposal presented by Celisa Wilschefski.
Scott Greenhalgh gets geared up for his presentation at the Conference.Celisa is graduating from the University's Bachelor of Engineering (Co-op) and Diploma of Professional Practice (Engineering) program and has been conducting her work placement through the Gladstone Regional Council, where she has also had a scholarship.
She is now working with the Council permanently as an Infrastructure Planning Engineer.
Preventing falls from scaffolding was the stimulus for mature-age student Scott Greenhalgh's final project.
Having worked around scaffolding in his former working life, Scott's project focused on the hazards of attaching harnesses to scaffolding. 
Mechanical engineers Joshua McCall and Mark Miles talk about their career plans at GECon.
Scott hopes to find employment in the mining sector.
A conference dinner at the Heritage Village included a guest address by a recent (2006) CQUniversity Co-op engineering graduate Briony Black, who is now the Major Maintenance Team Leader for Rio Tinto Alcan's Gove Operations in Nhulunbuy (NT). 
Bundaberg's Nicholas Johnson, and Mackay's Clint Lamperd and Jarrod Brooks catch up at the Conference this week. Nicholas is planning a trip to America before settling back into work in Australia, however Clint and Jarrod are beginning their engineering careers now with Cell Consultancy and Bucyrus both in Mackay respectively.
Mark Zwisler (centre) enjoys the company of his parents Zach and Sandy Zwisler at the Conference.