Engineering, IT, and beyond: building skills for every future

Her studies were hands-on from the beginning. In one standout project, Amelia and her teammates connected muscle sensors to a robot, using a custom-built classifier to interpret signals and replicate movement, a technology with potential for stroke rehabilitation. 

“It was both practical and meaningful. We were showing how engineering could directly improve someone’s quality of life.”

Fast forward to today, Amelia is a Verification and Validation Engineer at Cochlear. While her degree was rooted in medical science and engineering theory, her role focuses on testing and quality assurance, ensuring life-changing products meet the highest standards before reaching users. 

“My role is highly collaborative, and every day I use the skills I developed at UTS; problem-solving, attention to detail, and breaking big challenges into manageable steps.” 

Yuka: from Media to IT

For Yuka Maruyama, the journey looked very different. Although she began her uni learning Bachelor of Media in Adelaide, she was a high school student when she saw another student’s work presented as an interaction design project. She was mesmerised by the presentation, which prompted her to pair media studies with computer science to balance creativity with technology.

That spark turned into a pursuit. An internship in Cambodia showed her how user experience design could shape everything from apps to museums. “Every area needs interaction design,” Yuka says. “It’s about making user experiences better, and I want to be part of everything.”

At UTS, she found her fit in the Master of Interaction Design. Each semester was project-based, with opportunities to design and test real products from mobile apps to interactive exhibitions. 

Her professors, Allie and Elisa, became pivotal mentors, and a major research project in Human-Centred Design Methods revealed her love for academic research and set her on the path to a PhD in inclusive design. Today, she’s exploring how augmented reality can improve education access for children in developing countries, particularly those with disabilities. 

“Media gave me creativity, computer science gave me logic, and interaction design ties it all together. What you study might not directly match your career, but it can help you find your fit.”

Take the next step: find your fit at UTS 

For Amelia, engineering and medical science opened doors to testing and validation in the medical device industry. For Yuka, media and computer science laid the foundation for a career in interaction design and research. 

At UTS, you’re not just studying. You’re building the skills, connections, and confidence you need to discover your own fit.