Luan Nguyen – Civil Engineer, Vice President EWB WA Region
“I first came across EWB when I did the EWB Challenge during my first year at university. I was finding engineering very abstract and uninteresting and was thinking about dropping out. "
Written by Matilda Bowra.
"Doing the EWB Challenge, I realised engineers can use their skills to benefit communities and make the world a better place. I was inspired to stick continue with my studies.
"In second year University, I signed up as a volunteer for the EWB School Outreach program and have had a number of different roles since. Volunteering pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me develop skills they don’t teach you at university but are very useful in your professional life. I learnt how to work with communities, deal work effectively with people, lead teams and, improve my communication and, organisational skills and stakeholder management. These are things engineers do all the time. I’ve developed a close group of friends through volunteering with EWB and now have a network across the country." "I enjoy being part of a group of liked minded people who think of big ideas and discuss how to transform them into real action. We are always looking for ways to support each other. Being part of EWB also opens doors to the corporate world and you never know what may turn up during your job interviews. The very first question they asked me when I was interviewed for my current role was “What do you do with EWB?” They were very impressed with what I was doing outside university. EWB is not just a student club, there are lots of professional volunteers. "There are so many ways you can get involved and lots of opportunities to contribute. I would recommend engineers and engineering students to approach their local chapter, come to an event or talk to people. EWB is small, but we make an impact, so it’s a great organisation to join if you want to make a difference in the world.” Interested in joining an EWB chapter? Then find out how.