UWA Master of Professional Engineering (Civil) student Trisha Sharma applied her skills during her McCusker Centre for Citizenship internship with the City of Nedlands.
The McCusker Centre for Citizenship offers students the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution with a wide range of organisations including local governments throughout Western Australia.
During her internship, Trisha supported the Engineering Design Standards Package project.
Her supervisor, Seeko Johnson, noted that Trisha made a meaningful contribution to the project.
“Trisha engaged well with the project scope and undertook structured project support activities under supervision,” he said. “She demonstrated a positive attitude, willingness to learn, and interest in local government infrastructure and engineering governance.”
A key highlight for Trisha was gaining exposure to a professional local government environment delivering services to the community.
“The most rewarding part of my internship was getting the opportunity to participate in a professional environment and understand how engineering projects and documentation processes are managed within local government,” she said.
Reflecting on her experience, Trisha said the supportive local government environment played an important role in her learning.
“The approachable and friendly work environment made me feel very comfortable and supported throughout the internship,” she said.
Through her work, Trisha contributed to improving the organisation and coordination of engineering documentation, supporting more effective infrastructure project delivery for the Nedlands' Council.
“Proper documentation and project coordination help projects run more smoothly and efficiently, which can improve services and facilities provided to the public,” she said.
Trisha believes the experience has strengthened her readiness for a professional engineering career.
“During the internship, I gained practical workplace experience, improved my communication and organisational skills, and developed a better understanding of professional engineering environments in Australia. It is a great opportunity to gain real workplace experience while still studying and also earn unit credits at the same time,” she said.