Rikki Bruce

As a woman, a parent, and an older Indigenous student, I didn’t feel like I fit in with the other engineering students, especially in my first year. I felt that I had a very different upbringing and different experiences and ways of thinking than other students. I didn’t have a typical pathway to engineering; I had no previous knowledge of the maths, physics and chemistry required.

Scholarships helped give me confidence and motivation. They gave me the ability to study and spend time with my son. I felt that if someone else believed in me and I was doing well enough to receive a scholarship, I could excel and graduate.

My scholarships also opened my eyes to all the opportunities out there. They allowed me to meet lots of industry people. As a result, I was invited to many events and had several work placements.

I now enjoy a full-time position at Inpex with the onsite Engineering team.

Rikki received several scholarships on her journey to a Mechanical Engineering degree