Should I do a traineeship with TNSW ? (1 Viewer)

[Hello_World2]

I recently applied for a Traineeship position as a Traffic Engineering Officer - In Training at Transport For NSW (TNSW). It's got pretty good pay, about 60k salary a year, and they will pay for your associate's degree. But the problem is that I have to do an Associated Degree in Engineering (Civil) at Western Sydney University, College. Many friends advised against doing this traineeship. Firstly, it's only an associate degree, so I would have to continue doing my bachelor's degree elsewhere. Secondly, it's a 4-year role which means I would be 22 by the time I finish the traineeship with no guarantee of a job. Thirdly, I have to work a 35-hour week, which makes it kinda difficult to balance work and study. The last main concern is that WSU is not a very good college at all, and maybe I would be getting a better education studying at UNSW?

There are certainly a lot of cons to this traineeship, but I think that having work experience is pretty valuable. So I am still undecided. Pls help me decide. Thanks!
https://talent832612951.files.wordp...ring-officer-in-training-role-description.pdf (more info about the role here)

https://talent832612951.files.wordpress.com/2023/07/paraprofessional-programs-faq-sheet.pdf

 

[jimmysmith560]

This sounds like an interesting program. I thought I could perhaps make a few comments regarding some of these assumptions and provide some insight which I hope would assist you in making a more informed decision.

First, while this trainee role offers a good salary and the Associate Degree in Engineering is funded by the program, you should consider whether this is a key factor in making your decision. This is something that I would personally question, especially since you can definitely have a part-time job (which can include undertaking an internship) while studying a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) at UNSW, not to mention the relevance of HECS-HELP loans. Unless these elements are a priority for you, they are probably not very significant in terms of allowing you to make an informed decision.

Second, the option of studying a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) after completing an Associate Degree in Engineering means that you would not need to study the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) from the very beginning, as the Associate Degree in Engineering would contribute credit towards the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours). If full-time study is possible/feasible, this could result in a very similar study length to that of the more traditional Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) path.

Third, the work experience advantage is significant. Generally speaking, jobs are not guaranteed regardless of your education. You still need to be a competitive applicant to maximise your chances of getting a job, and any relevant experience that you gain prior to applying for a job could make you a more suitable candidate, especially when compared to other applicants who may have little to no experience. In the case of this program, four years of experience cannot be ignored as they bring value that may exceed that brought by other individuals your age.

While UNSW is definitely a well-regarded university for engineering, having work experience essentially negates the potential disadvantage of attending a particular university (in this case, WSU The College), although I would be inclined to believe that such a "disadvantage" would not be as significant in engineering to begin with, particularly when compared to other fields, such as law. On the other hand, you should also consider whether you can access any relevant employment opportunities (including internships) if you decide to attend UNSW. If it is possible for you to gain experience during your time at UNSW, then the more traditional Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) path may be the better option.

I hope this helps!

 

[cossine]

I recently applied for a Traineeship position as a Traffic Engineering Officer - In Training at Transport For NSW (TNSW). It's got pretty good pay, about 60k salary a year, and they will pay for your associate's degree. But the problem is that I have to do an Associated Degree in Engineering (Civil) at Western Sydney University, College. Many friends advised against doing this traineeship. Firstly, it's only an associate degree, so I would have to continue doing my bachelor's degree elsewhere. Secondly, it's a 4-year role which means I would be 22 by the time I finish the traineeship with no guarantee of a job. Thirdly, I have to work a 35-hour week, which makes it kinda difficult to balance work and study. The last main concern is that WSU is not a very good college at all, and maybe I would be getting a better education studying at UNSW?

There are certainly a lot of cons to this traineeship, but I think that having work experience is pretty valuable. So I am still undecided. Pls help me decide. Thanks!
https://talent832612951.files.wordp...ring-officer-in-training-role-description.pdf (more info about the role here)

https://talent832612951.files.wordpress.com/2023/07/paraprofessional-programs-faq-sheet.pdf

I would go for it if and only if you are interested in civil engineering.

#Secondly, it's a 4-year role
It only says you need complete the associate degree in a 4 year period. Generally university is quite laid back, and your work experience might help with your uni projects. See Q20, it mentions about continuing Bachelor degree.

 

[Hello_World2]

This sounds like an interesting program. I thought I could perhaps make a few comments regarding some of these assumptions and provide some insight which I hope would assist you in making a more informed decision.

First, while this trainee role offers a good salary and the Associate Degree in Engineering is funded by the program, you should consider whether this is a key factor in making your decision. This is something that I would personally question, especially since you can definitely have a part-time job (which can include undertaking an internship) while studying a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) at UNSW, not to mention the relevance of HECS-HELP loans. Unless these elements are a priority for you, they are probably not very significant in terms of allowing you to make an informed decision.

Second, the option of studying a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) after completing an Associate Degree in Engineering means that you would not need to study the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) from the very beginning, as the Associate Degree in Engineering would contribute credit towards the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours). If full-time study is possible/feasible, this could result in a very similar study length to that of the more traditional Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) path.

Third, the work experience advantage is significant. Generally speaking, jobs are not guaranteed regardless of your education. You still need to be a competitive applicant to maximise your chances of getting a job, and any relevant experience that you gain prior to applying for a job could make you a more suitable candidate, especially when compared to other applicants who may have little to no experience. In the case of this program, four years of experience cannot be ignored as they bring value that may exceed that brought by other individuals your age.

While UNSW is definitely a well-regarded university for engineering, having work experience essentially negates the potential disadvantage of attending a particular university (in this case, WSU The College), although I would be inclined to believe that such a "disadvantage" would not be as significant in engineering to begin with, particularly when compared to other fields, such as law. On the other hand, you should also consider whether you can access any relevant employment opportunities (including internships) if you decide to attend UNSW. If it is possible for you to gain experience during your time at UNSW, then the more traditional Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) path may be the better option.

I hope this helps!

Thanks a lot for the in-depth reply!!! You have really explained all the positives and negatives in great detail!! I think I've made up my mind to do the traineeship (If I get accepted, that is), finish my associate's degree at WSU and then continue my bachelor's or master's at UNSW.