Jacob Stanford loves the practical, hands-on work of engineers. They get to tinker, solve problems and make the world work better.

‘I have always liked taking things apart, since I was very young, so I suppose there has always been an engineer inside me,’ says Jacob. ‘I love being able to logically work through problems to reach the most efficient outcome possible.’

Jacob Stanford

The Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) graduate was a recipient of a Liberty Steel Engineering Scholarship, supported by Australia’s largest manufacturer of long steel products.

Jacob was drawn to Swinburne because of the practical focus of the engineering program. ‘I much prefer to learn by doing rather than reading and listening,’ he says. ‘My main reason for choosing Swinburne was due to its well-known reputation for practical studies and the high success of graduates finding work in their field.’

Jacob says the scholarship has offered him more than financial support — it has provided him with real world experience, and even a job.

During the 2017 summer holiday break, Jacob completed a three month placement at Liberty Steel’s Laverton plant, fixing and monitoring heavy machinery. When Jacob studied overseas on exchange, a Liberty Steel colleague put him in touch with steel plants to visit in the UK. Regular contact with the Laverton plant helped him learn more about how steel mills work and improved his engineering skills in general.

  • "Having the scholarship was a massive help in terms of resources and allowing me more time for my studies. I was able to reduce my part-time work hours which helped me achieve some of my best academic results. I was also able to undertake my final year research project with Liberty Steel as a result of the contacts I made."

    Jacob Stanford , Liberty Steel Engineering Scholarship recipient

And now, Jacob has started a three-year graduate program as a mechanical engineer in Liberty Steel’s maintenance department. He hopes to one day become a superintendent at the company.

‘I can wholeheartedly say that the scholarship not only allowed me to improve my academic performance,’ Jacob adds, ‘but opened the door to many opportunities that would otherwise not have been possible.’

You can help change the life of a student like Jacob. Learn more about our awards and scholarships.

Donate to Swinburne

Your donation will give students the support they need in the times that matter.

Donate now