With so much focus being put on the need for Engineers worldwide, we believe it’s important to learn what leads students toward Engineering Careers to encourage others to follow suit. I recently exchanged e-mails with Adrian Spoljarevic, a 21 year old Civil Engineering Student in his final semester at University of Queensland, St. Lucia Campus in Australia. We spoke about life, work, school and the Brisbane Gallery of Modern Art.

K-Exchange: What made you want to be an engineer?
Adrian: I’ve always been very technically minded and hands on. While I was growing up my family and teachers just assumed I would be an engineer. Truth be told I didn’t even know what an engineer did until I did some research in my final year of high school when I had to apply for the Uni course.

KX – What made you choose civil engineering?
AS – Lack of direction initially. I couldn’t decide between electrical, software, mechanical or civil. I tried a few EE/software courses but failed them because I ended up not being interested in them. I Ultimately settled on civil because it seemed to be the broadest, and is probably the most useful discipline to have when applying for management type roles at non-engineering companies. Also my family background is in the construction industry so I spent a lot of time growing up on building sites and working with power tools in the back shed.

KX – What do you want to do after school?
AS – I have been changing my mind on this about every 6 months. My current position in this economic climate is “I’ll take what I can get”, but my long term goal is to enter into property development. An engineering degree isn’t necessary for that but it will certainly help to gain the background experience I need before jumping into that kind of self employment. I haven’t tried design work professionally, my initial trepidation to go into design was partly due to the types of assignments we were given at uni, but now that I’ve built up a good knowledge I do feel more confident about it.

What was your favorite class? Did that lead you to the career decision?
My favourite class was civil design, a year long capstone course that had us doing everything from architectural design to engineering design. It definitely softened my stance on not wanting to work in design, but I still don’t expect it to become a long term career.

KX – Do you now wish you’d started in another engineering discipline?
AS – No, I am confident I made the right decision. If I had wanted to be a design engineer I may have gone into mechanical or electrical, but I don’t.

KX – If you couldn’t be in an engineering discipline, what would you like to be studying?
AS – Anything that would help property development. Real estate, building, business.

KX – Anything specific that inspires you as a civil engineer?
AS – A project just finished in the city, Kurilpa Bridge. It is to my knowledge the first tensegrity bridge in the world. The general consensus here is that it’s hideously ugly and doesn’t suit the decor of the city. As a kid I remember building tensegrity structures out of wooden skewers and fishing line, and that’s how I see Kurilpa Bridge – giant wooden skewers and fishing line. It’s hugely inspirational to think outside the box and go against popular opinion if it means bringing your idea to fruition. Even though the concept was done by architects, I think engineers feel just as much satisfaction in seeing their design work, especially when so much of the final form of the structure is ultimately decided by the engineers.

KX – Any interesting stories, tales, failures, life lessons from your studies?
AS – The biggest life lesson I have learned was the principle of the “zone of acceptance.” There are too many “correct” designs, and not always a perfect one. You can’t be a perfectionist in engineering (it took me a few years to learn this the hard way). Define the zone of acceptance, and once you’re in it, stop. Anything else is a waste of time and money.

KX – Finally, as a civil engineer you’re uniquely qualified to answer this question. If you were a building, what building would you be?
AS – Brisbane Gallery of Modern Art: