Ian Shivraj Doolun is originally from the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius. He completed his Bachelor of Engineering in Mechatronics with first class honors at Monash University. Upon obtaining his Bachelor of Engineering, he got offered a job at one of the best companies in automation and process control in Mauritius, where he worked for two and a half years as an Industrial Control Programmer.
Ian wanted to develop his career further and gain the cutting-edge automation knowledge needed as the Fourth Industrial Revolution continues to transform the engineering world. He decided to enroll in the Engineering Institute of Technology's Masters of Engineering (Industrial Automation). He reflected:
“I was surrounded by intelligent minds, and as a beginner I had to catch up quickly to integrate into the team and be able to provide efficient solutions. Doing the Masters course gave me a competitive advantage over my peers, both in terms of knowledge and chances of promotion.”
Ian then set his sights on Australia. Settling in Sydney, he is now working as an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) Project Engineer.
“The contents of the course aligned with my job. Some of the key modules that had a positive impact on my work were Programmable Logic Controllers; SCADA and Distributed Control Systems, and Industrial Process Control among others. I was also better at communicating my ideas, both technically and professionally. The course really stimulated my thinking process and enabled me to conduct my job more efficiently and effectively.”
Ian worked his way through the course so masterfully we are proud to recognize him as one of the finalists for EIT’s Graduate of the Year Award 2018. Ian did, however, learn the hard way in terms of simultaneously balancing work and his studies. But, eventually, a silver lining manifested. He said:
“The biggest challenge, at first, was the work-study balance in terms of time and dedication, but after the first couple of semesters, I got used to it. The assignments were also very challenging in some cases, but this allowed me to be more independent and enhance my research skills. The master’s thesis was also very strict in terms of schedule.”
Ian said through doing the course, he better understood industrial concepts and implementation strategies in the automation world. He concluded:
“I definitely applied what I learned to my work. My output at work improved tremendously.”
He is also about to take his Certified Associate in Project Management exam at the Project Management Institute, to further qualify him in his field. He said:
“I strongly believe that my strength resides in project management since I have very strong people and communication skills. However, I am always keen to enhance my knowledge of automation and other innovative topics.”