Pre-engineering course thrives as lecturer receives outstanding citation

Charles Darwin University (CDU) Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Science and Technology, Dr Cat Kutay, has received a 2024 Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning as part of the Australian Awards for University Teaching (AAUT). 

One of the standout features of her work, according to the AAUT, was her dedication to both-way learning and using First Nations Knowledges in teaching and training.

“This teaching award was a great acknowledgement of work we are doing at Charles Darwin University to include First Nations Perspectives into the curriculum,” Dr Kutay said.

“That includes making a learning space the acknowledges First Nations perspectives to create a safe space for our students from community.”

One of the courses Dr Kutay is engaged in – and co-leads with Computational Engineering Lecturer and Undergraduate Coordinator Dr Luis Herrera Diaz – is the First Nations Pre-Engineering Course, which aims to give students an immersive experience in the world of engineering over a four-week period.

Now in its second year, the course is a collaboration of lecturers across TAFE and Higher Education to give students a range of units to trial. 

The aim is to increase the number of technically trained people in community to help design and install local infrastructure.

Dr Kutay said two of this year’s students were from Darwin, one from Alice Springs and Elliott, and three from Tennant Creek.

“I was good to see the commitment to study and aptitude for maths among this year’s cohort, with most interested in construction due to housing issues in communities,” she said. 

“Others hadn’t yet decided what field they would like to pursue, but the chance to see what was on offer here at CDU and then join the Tertiary Enabling Program was a great chance for them.

“One student is involved in technical training in and around Alice Springs. He brought in a lot of ideas on how we can support our local workforce into gainful employment and reduce FIFO labour in communities.

“We are hoping to get a house for the remote students to stay in so they can study in Darwin – it can be hard for them to study in the community due to other demands.”

Dr Herrera said he had great expectations for the course’s development in the future and hoped to see more First Nations students pick up advanced engineering, science, and IT courses.

“In 2023, only a few students were enrolled, but their numbers more than doubled in the course’s second year,” he said.

“We hope to get the industry involved so they can support and encourage their First Nations employees to enrol in higher education courses. 

“This pre-engineering course is the perfect space to show potential students what it is like to study at university.”