How one scholarship opened up a world of industry experience and global study opportunities for Sophie.
Sophie didn’t always see herself in engineering. She enjoyed maths, science and problem-solving, but the world of engineering once felt distant, big, complex, and not necessarily made for her.
Today, she’s proving that assumption and her younger self wrong.
Now in her fourth year of a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) Electrical at UTS, Sophie is helping shape Australia’s future energy systems through industry experience with Transgrid. At the same time, she’s studying abroad in Milan through the UTS Global Mobility program, immersing herself in one of the world’s leading cities for innovation, design and engineering.
A pathway for women in engineering
For Sophie, receiving the Women in Engineering Co-op scholarship was a turning point. As the first in her family to attend university, it wasn’t just an achievement, it was a moment that shifted what she believed was possible.
“I was able to achieve something like this, and it really took the stress off finances. I could just focus on learning and seizing every opportunity.”
Through financial support, the Women in Engineering Scholarship didn’t just ease pressure, it created space. Space to focus on her engineering journey, build confidence, and say yes to opportunities she once thought were out of reach.
When I got the call, I felt a mix of joy and happiness.
Industry experience from day one
From her first semester, Sophie stepped into a highly collaborative learning environment where projects mirror real engineering challenges. Instead of studying engineering in isolation, she learned it by doing—working in teams, solving problems, and building confidence in her ideas.
At the end of her first year, she took that learning into the real world with a summer internship at Transgrid. That opportunity quickly grew into ongoing part-time industry experience.
“My first year sharpened my communication and collaboration skills and honed my curiosity,” she says. “I learnt to be confident in what I know, and courageous enough to ask what I don’t.”
“My first year sharpened my communication and collaboration skills and honed my curiosity. I learnt to be confident in what I know, and courageous enough to ask what I don’t.”
Sophie Walker
Redefining engineering through community at UTS
Before university, Sophie imagined engineering as a solitary path. What she found instead was a deeply collaborative field, and a strong community that helped her thrive.
While some of her electrical engineering classes have only a small number of women, she never felt like she was navigating it alone. Through Women in Engineering and IT (WiEIT) at UTS, she found connection, support and a sense of belonging in STEM.
“Engineering is so collaborative,” she says. “It’s about talking to people, bringing ideas together and solving problems.”
Now, Sophie is part of that same community she once joined, supporting other students as they begin their own engineering journeys.
Taking engineering global
This semester, Sophie is studying in Milan through the UTS Global Mobility program, experiencing global study opportunities while continuing her electrical engineering degree.
Living and learning in one of Europe’s most innovative cities has given her a new perspective on how engineering is shaped across different industries and cultures.
“I wanted to see engineering from a different point of view, and experience something completely new,” she says.
Engineering her own future
The Women in Engineering Scholarship has given Sophie more than financial support, it’s given her freedom.
Freedom to gain industry experience.
Freedom to pursue global opportunities.
Freedom to focus on growth, not limitations.
Alongside study and work, she still makes space for life outside engineering—hiking, time with friends, and staying grounded in the journey she’s building.
She’s also on track to complete her five-year engineering degree in four—not because she has to, but because she can.
Her advice to future students, especially women considering STEM and engineering:
“Think about what you love learning. If you’re curious about building a better future, if you like problem-solving and STEM, don’t let the stereotype stop you. Engineering is what you make it.”
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