Corey

If it were not for supportive teachers at high school, Corey may never have been introduced to the UniSQ’s Head Start program, kick-starting his journey to study engineering and ultimately a career in the field.  
 
Head Start is the University of Southern Queensland’s academic extension program for high-achieving Year 10, 11 or 12 students. The Head Start program gives students a taste of what university is really like by studying one university subject a semester while working towards their QCE. 

“I had a couple of really invested teachers in Grade Nine and 10 at Crow’s Nest State School who opened my eyes to the possibilities of things I enjoyed, like math and science and woodworking. In Year 11 and 12 at Toowoomba Christian College, they encouraged me to do a Head Start engineering course through the University of Southern Queensland,” Corey said. 
 
It was this Head Start course which sparked Corey’s love for mechatronic engineering, and eventually led him to a Bachelor of Engineering. 
 
“It wasn’t until the final year of my degree when I did professional work experience with the Centre for Agricultural Engineering – I was doing a lot of machine vision work and really enjoyed it. At the end of that work experience, I was offered a managerial role and one thing led to another, and now I’m employed full time with the University’s School of Agriculture and Environmental Science,” Corey said. 
 
“I don’t actually think I got a good enough SAT score to get into Engineering, but because I had done a Head Start, I had a guaranteed place at the University of Southern Queensland. That’s the beauty of Head Start – I wasn’t limited by my scores, and I could actually do what I wanted to do. It was a lifesaver.”