Name: Adam
Role Title: University Student (Practical Placement)
Location: Goulburn Valley Water

Description of work undertaken: Adam is currently involved in assisting the launch of the Goulburn Valley Water soil sampling/ monitoring program, where he is partly engaged with some of the water sampling and testing. More specifically, Adam uses computers and global positioning system technology to create, locate and record information of each site location. Adam spends most of his time out in the field taking soil samples from various chosen locations. Adam believes the best part of his work with Goulburn Valley Water, is seeing all the intensive preliminary work completed in the office, leading to it's success out in the field.

Adam spends most of his time out in the field taking soil samples from various chosen locations

Team and / or individual role / responsibilities:
Adam's individual responsibilities at Goulburn Valley Water includes, the preparation of soil information and site details of each testing location and record keeping of this information.

Future?
Presently, Adam's work is more in-line with what a scientist would do, so in the future he will aim to get more into the engineering side of the industry, as this is what he enjoys the most and what he had studied for at university.

BACKGROUND: Grew up where? Adam has spent most of his life in Geelong, but then moved to Shepparton when the opportunity for work for Goulburn Valley Water arose. Adam is currently completing his final year of an Environmental Engineering Degree. Adam believes that there was not any single influence on his career choice, environmental engineering embraced most of his interests. Adam travels extensively around the Goulburn-Broken Catchment with his work duties at Goulburn Valley Water

Course(s) studied:
Tertiary /post secondary:
Adam is currently studying Bachelor of Engineering (Environmental) at Deakin University, Geelong.

Secondary:
Adam believes that courses in school were planned for his course selection choice. He considers that subjects such as math, physics, chemistry and English prepared him better for university.

Work experience:
Adam has completed work experience in a variety of situations including; a building attendant, cleaner for Spotless, worked as a Trade Assistant on construction site, collected eggs on battery farm and worked as farm hand on sheep farm.

OPPORTUNITIES:
Learning on job, new skills, etc.
Adam says that he has learnt that work plans do not always go to plan, no matter how organised you are, and there are never enough hours in the day to achieve everything you have set.

Travel, etc.
Adam travels extensively around the Goulburn-Broken Catchment with his work duties at Goulburn Valley Water.

ADVICE TO STUDENTS NOW:
students up to Year 10
As hard as it sounds Adam suggests that students should try to obtain some ideas for interest areas which appeal to them. Adam thinks that having an area of interest is more important than having a specific job in mind. More importantly, Adam suggests that students should choose subjects that will enable them to have the necessary background for a selected course or career.

VCE students
If a students plans are to go to university, Adam believes that students should know what subject results are required for course entry.

Tertiary students
Adam believes that the type of course you complete will really determine the jobs you are suited to. However, Adam considers it is possible to branch out into other fields by using what you have studied as a launching pad into another area.

OTHER:
What careers have other graduates from your course entered?
Areas such as consulting, catchment management, forestry and wildlife management, resource management, coastal management and waterway management.