Riding a wave of confidence

Wade Dunham is drawing energy from the UTAS community.

Engineering the perfect graduate position isn’t something you can automate – it takes people power.

Graduate turned automation engineer Wade Dunham knows first-hand how crucial the belief and backing of others is when it comes to shaping a successful career.

He had academic rigour, an intense curiosity and the discipline to work anywhere in the world.

However, thanks to the generous support of individuals and industry, he’s carving out an impressive engineering career in a cutting-edge field on the North-West Coast, where he was born and bred.

As a teenager, Wade was always fascinated with computers. He was also interested in a profession that enabled him to find creative solutions to realworld problems.

“I remember one piece of advice that my Dad gave me was to pursue an area that I’m interested in, because then I’ll be willing to work hard and I’ll be good at it, which means there will always be a market for my expertise,” Wade said.

He chose to combine a Bachelor of Science with a Bachelor of Engineering. Wade was awarded the Harry and Nancy Frederiksen Scholarship, which supports students from the North-West and West coasts of Tasmania with academic potential to study at the University of Tasmania.

“The financial backing was very appreciated, but, for me, a particularly salient and underrated aspect of receiving the scholarship was the confidence it gave me that someone who was not obligated to support you – like your parents – was convinced that you have the potential to succeed,” he said.

Wade also received the South32 TEMCO Community Foundation Scholarship in Engineering, which supports a student who is studying mechatronics in their third or fourth year of studies.

“It was a very generous scholarship, but, importantly, it led to a 12-week placement with TEMCO, which was one of the most valuable aspects of my degree,” Wade said.

He worked alongside mineral-processing and control engineers in the large mineral processing operation 50km north of Launceston.

“The engineers shared their knowledge and perspective. I wasn’t just shadowing them; they trusted me to do small tasks under their supervision,” Wade said.

“You can draw a straight line from my TEMCO placement to the work that I’m doing now – I asked my supervisor to be one of my referees, and it was a large factor in landing my current role.”

Wade is an automation engineer with Cromarty, an engineering firm founded by alums, which works with a range of industries, from food and beverage, to mining and manufacturing. He was recently involved with a project to improve water-quality monitoring through the installation of new analysers, which gather information on water quality.

“Technically, in terms of the challenges of the work, it’s as in-depth and high-quality as anything you can do on the mainland,” he said.

At 27, Wade has high hopes for his future career and is also keen to continue his connection to his alumni community.

“I attend University of Tasmania public lectures, webinars and events on the North-West Coast, even if it’s not about engineering; I find a lot of value in being exposed to philosophies and people from outside my industry,” Wade said.

Wade Dunham at work in Tasmania’s North-West. Lucie van den Berg