Kris Longmore: Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)

Name: Kris Longmore
UOW Degree: Bachelor of Engineering (Hons)
Host University: Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Sweden
Period of Exchange: Autumn Session 2004

Kris is a UOW graduate currently employed as a Mechanical Engineer with the ‘Newcrest Mining’ graduate program.

What does your current role involve? Newcrest Mining’s graduate program is designed to give graduates the practical experience necessary to achieve success as a professional engineer. The program provides structured career growth as well as personal mentoring, with almost unlimited possibilities upon completion. So far, I have spent time in the underground gold and copper mine at Cadia, NSW, where I have worked on mining equipment and the conveying system. I’ve also spent some time in the company’s ore treatment plants, where I have worked on repairs to the world’s largest grinding circuit. My next post will be at the company’s mine on the remote Halmahera Island, in Indonesia.

Why did you apply to the UOW Student Exchange Program? I always wanted to travel, but wanted an experience that was more than following the usual tourist trails. The exchange program allows you to immerse yourself in a new culture for an extended period, learn the language and make local friends – the perfect travel experience! Also, I wanted an international perspective on my studies – it was quite eye-opening to gain a perception of where Australia sits in the global engineering landscape.

What was the best thing about your exchange experience? Experiencing the culture of Sweden first hand – the language, the food (even if pickled fish is pretty ordinary…), and the differences in lifestyle. The aspect of this I enjoyed the most was going on a school excursion to the Arctic Circle and seeing the lifestyle of the locals – how they deal with the white nights, the months of darkness, and eating local delicacies such as Elk and cloudberries. Visiting Russia was also a fantastic experience, and has inspired me to try to learn the language and go back in the next couple of years.

How did the exchange benefit your UOW degree? The international perspective I gained on the engineering profession was very important. I also had the opportunity to study subjects that are less developed in Australia such as renewable energy technology and energy efficiency. I even had the opportunity to study a subject called rocket propulsion – just so I could tell everyone that I’d studied rocket science!

How did the exchange experience benefit you on a personal level? The experience gave me a deeper appreciation for other cultures, and sparked a greater curiosity for exploring new places and looking for new experiences. The experience of venturing to a new country alone seems to have given me greater confidence in my own abilities, and has enabled me to confidently set some ambitious goals for myself. The friends I made during the experience are some of the closest I’ve ever had.

How has the exchange experience benefited your career? An international perspective on my profession is very useful. I found that employers hold a student exchange experience in very high regard. I guess it says to them “this guy is not afraid to try new things and is pretty motivated.” I also found that I could use experiences from my time on exchange in answering a lot of questions in job interviews to a pretty good standard. Interviewers were also pretty interested in my experiences overseas and talking about it tended to relax the interview environment significantly. I think that my exchange experience was a major factor in gaining a place in Newcrest’s graduate program, which is providing me with every opportunity for a successful career.

Did your exchange experience help you to secure a job after graduation from UOW? Using experiences from the exchange program to answer interview questions such as “Tell me about a time that you had to work hard and take the initiative to achieve your goals, tell me about a difficult situation that you overcame, tell me about some of your accomplishments etc.” Also, relating exchange experiences seemed to lighten the mood of job interviews and it was often readily apparent that interviewers had a real admiration and respect for such an experience. A good reference from say, the Director of International Studies at some exotic-sounding institution also doesn’t go astray!

Are there any further comments that you would like to add? Exchange was probably the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. It was a great way to experience another culture, and to broaden both personal and professional perspectives. There is also a great support system at UOW – staff who bend over backwards for you before, during and after the exchange, as well as financial assistance that comes in very handy!

- Kris Longmore

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