Dean meets Fraser Coast engineers

The Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Surveying, Professor Frank Bullen, met with engineers and students at a cocktail function at USQ Fraser Coast.

Almost 40 people attended the function at which Prof Bullen spoke about the faculty and its programs and research strengths.

He said there were 75 students in the Hervey Bay - Maryborough area who were studying programs through the USQ Faculty of Engineering and Surveying.

They are all studying via distance, as does more than 75 percent of the Faculty’s entire student cohort. The average age of on-campus students is 19 to 20. The average age of distance students is more around 30 to 35.

Professor Bullen said some students had been in the faculty studying for 20 years, starting with an associate degree, then moving to a bachelors degree followed by post-graduate programs.

'USQ has been found to be one of the leading universities in Australia where five years after graduation the students are in the highest percentile of earners,' Professor Bullen said.

'If the employers are kind and good supportive of to their employees and allow them time to study then they can be successful and so can the businesses. It’s all about partnerships.'