2021

Alan Kirk

Palmerston North

Late last year, I applied for the Geoff Walsh Memorial Scholarship to help me finish my studies. I have now completed my study, which was a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering with honours at the University of Canterbury.

I started at Canterbury in 2018, knowing that I wanted to do engineering, and that was about it. After my first year, I chose mechanical engineering as it covered a broad range of exciting career opportunities.

From here, everything happened in a rush. I spent a summer as a repairman at Gary Douglas Engineers in Palmerston North where I worked on getting a variety of trucks and trailers back onto the road. The next summer, I learnt about heavy vehicle certification from the perspective of an engineer. I worked on some of the basics like towing connections, and spent some time on other unique projects like a tipping car transporter body.

Late last year, I began my career as an engineer. I asked for the Geoff Walsh Memorial Scholarship to help me relocate from Christchurch to Palmerston North and kickstart my career. This was a huge help as it took several hundred dollars of fuel and ferry tickets to move. I was then able to purchase some books, professional attire, and everything I needed to start work. I kept some money aside to help me attend graduation, which was just recently. The Geoff Walsh Memorial Scholarship helped me hugely and I am in a much better position for having received it.

I have started working towards becoming a heavy vehicle certifier. I sat the TTMF manufacturing certifier course, and now have the manufacturing certifiers categories. I went through the SRT Calculator Course, and have received my first heavy vehicle specialist certification categories. I sat the towing connection and load anchorages exams in mid-July, which I have since been informed I passed!

I am excited for the future, and what it may bring. There are many exciting challenges ahead of me and other young engineers. I hope to see my career continue to grow so that I can help keep industry moving, and I thank the HVE Committee for helping me along on my journey.