Karissa Purcell

Demonstrating to potential employers that you have industry-recognised skills and on-the-job experience will put you head and shoulders above other engineering graduates.

As an electronic and computer engineering student participating in Griffith's Industrial Affiliates Program, it could also give you the chance to change someone's life for the better.

"At Griffith I engineered a greater future for myself and others." Karissa Purcell

In final year, Karissa Purcell spent a semester with Crystalaid, the Brisbane company that manufactures the external components used in Cochlear implants. The implants allow severely and profoundly deaf people to hear, some for the first time.

Her brief was to develop a more efficient module to test the components to be used in next generation implants. Previously, manual testing of the product would take up to 30 minutes. Karissa developed a computer-connected module able to run 50 different tests in just one minute.

Being able to demonstrate problem-solving skills in a real life situation was a big advantage.

Griffith University's pioneering Industrial Affiliates Program has been partnering engineering and IT students with Queensland businesses since it began in 1993. Over 140 organisations have been involved in providing hundreds of students with the chance to complete an industry-based project and at the same time earn credit towards their degree.

'Working at Crystalaid gave me exposure to engineers, I learned about project management and had the opportunity to meet with clients,' Karissa said.

Her IAP project was also successful in other ways: 'Knowing that I was involved in a project that was helping people who were profoundly deaf was really rewarding.'

'I've since been offered a job working for a testing lab in Melbourne.'