UC scholar’s student life helps launch engineering career

Photo caption: UC engineering student Thom Stranaghan has landed his dream job in Perth.

When Stranaghan arrived at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC), he knew he would receive a top-tier degree, but it was the opportunities outside the classroom that helped him land his dream engineering job in Perth.

Over four years, Stranaghan got involved in internships, mentoring, clubs and societies, building experience and connections alongside his Mechatronics Engineering degree. He says those opportunities helped him grow his confidence, understand the kind of work he wanted to do, and prepare for a role in Perth after graduation.

Stranaghan’s path to university was not straightforward. After finishing high school with no clear future plan, he took a gap year in his hometown of Auckland. That time away from the classroom gave him the clarity and drive to commit fully to a four-year Mechatronics Engineering degree, ultimately leading him south to Christchurch.

Landing a ‘Go Waitaha Canterbury’ scholarship heightened Stranaghan’s motivation to succeed at UC and removed the financial pressures of moving cities. “Once I pulled the trigger and decided to study Mechatronics, the UC scholarship was the cherry on top,” he says. 

The scholarship support system paired him with a mentor, sparking a desire in Stranaghan to pay it forward. By his second year, he figured ‘why not?’ and became a mentor himself, a role that sharpened his interpersonal skills and developed his empathy for peers navigating their own university experience. “Mentoring was great; it wasn’t just about the social side, it was about supporting others and sharing ‘tips and tricks’ to help them thrive at UC.”

As he progressed through his degree, Stranaghan balanced his academic study with active involvement in the campus community. He became a member of TRONSOC, the student-led society for mechatronics engineering enthusiasts. He found friends who shared his interest in engineering, helping him build a healthy balance between study and student life.

“There were times I had to take a step back and ask ‘What do I actually enjoy doing?’”, Stranaghan says. “Especially in my fourth year, I tried to place more emphasis on making the most of being a student, not just being consumed by study.”

While dedicated to developing his technical knowledge at UC, Stranaghan also looked for opportunities to grow his real-world expertise and knowledge. Pursuing three engineering internships for companies across New Zealand, widened his appreciation for where his degree could take him in the future. He says gaining industry experience through internships takes motivation and persistence, but the effort is worthwhile.

With his future clear, he is ready to step into professional engineering and settle into life in Western Australia. “It’s surreal to have this ahead of me. I’m going to make the most of my time before I lock-in to full-time work. I'll finish my degree and then travel,” he says.

Stranaghan says UC didn’t just teach him engineering, but also leadership, management, empathy for others and readiness for the job market. “I’m so thankful for the opportunities I have had here.”