UGL Graduate Engineer Roarke Ryan recently supported aspiring engineers by taking part in an Engineers Australia “Careers and Pizza Night” in Sydney for Year 11 and 12 students.
The event formed part of a multi-day camp designed to introduce high school students to what a career in engineering can look like. It brought together industry professionals from across Australia’s energy sector and was attended by 47 boys and 43 girls from New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.
Hosted by Engineers Australia, the evening gave students the opportunity to meet engineers working across different industries and ask questions about study pathways, career progression and real-world projects.
“Engineering is such a broad space, and I think students don’t always realise how many different directions it can take,” said Roarke. “One of the key messages we wanted to share was that studying engineering doesn’t lock you into one narrow career path for life.”
Students rotated through small group discussions with professionals from UGL and Australia’s energy network operator, allowing time for informal conversations and questions. Many were keen to understand how engineers move from university into industry.
“A lot of the questions were about what happens after the HSC and university - for example ‘If I study this, does it mean I can only do that?’,” said Roarke. “There was a bit of apprehension about making the ‘right’ choice, and I think part of our role was reassuring students that careers rarely follow a straight line.”
The discussion also turned to Australia’s energy transition, with students demonstrating a strong awareness of current projects and industry challenges.
“I was impressed by how informed they were,” he said. “They were asking questions about Snowy Hydro 2.0, batteries, and major infrastructure projects. Some even asked technical questions about gas turbine power plants.”
With a background in civil engineering and commerce, Roarke shared his own career journey, from working on a major infrastructure project to moving into project management within the energy sector.
“I didn’t even consider project management as a career option until it was raised during UGL's graduate recruitment process,” he said. “Now it’s something that really excites me. It was great to see how interested the students were when they realised engineering can lead into leadership and big-picture roles.”
For Roarke, the highlight of the night was the students’ enthusiasm.
“If sharing my experience helps even one student feel more confident about their future, it’s absolutely worth it,” he said. “You don’t always realise how valuable your experience can be to someone earlier in their journey. Even if it feels daunting, I’d say yes every time. The impact far outweighs the time you put in.”