Sasha Walker

BIM/Graduate Electrical Engineer, 22 Degrees
Bachelor of Engineering Technology in Electrical Engineering

Engineering is coming up with solutions to different problems, says Sasha Walker who completed a Bachelor of Engineering Technology in Electrical Engineering and now works at 22 Degrees.

“What keeps my job interesting is the different requirements a project may have, from schools, commercial buildings and hotels to apartments and housing. There’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach and each project will have different requirements in terms of budget, location-specific changes and client opinions. What is exciting is coming up with different solutions for these, so that clients are satisfied with the product while also following the rules within the building code.”

In her role she is responsible for 3D and 2D modelling, and for drawing the reticulation of all kinds of services.

“We as a company are building services engineers that design ventilation, plumbing, water reticulation, lighting, power and data systems within a building. I’m heavily involved in draughting and modelling the lighting and power systems, and drawing details for the electricians and builders to follow, but I’ve also been involved with draughting mechanical and hydraulics systems. I work closely with architects, clients, project managers, civil engineers, structural engineers and fire engineers to create buildings that comply with the New Zealand building requirements.”

Choosing AUT
Sasha says she originally wanted to be a builder or an electrician, and was then guided towards doing a university degree to understand electricity and building in more depth. This would soon lead her to AUT.

“I picked AUT because I wanted to study somewhere with a more practical approach. My sense of understanding comes heavily from being able to see what is happening in front of me, rather than from only theoretical learning. The labs that were offered at AUT helped deepen my understanding of what we were learning.”

The people she met were one of the highlights of her time at university.

“I love meeting like-minded people throughout my studies and realising there are more interesting things that you can study.”

Advice for other students
Sasha, who graduated from AUT at the end of 2022, has some great advice for other students.

“If you find an interesting course, dig deeper. Ask your lecturers what opportunities may come from that. For example, my building services lecturer gave me guidance on future opportunities and happened to lead me to the job that I currently have, which I’ll forever be grateful for.”

Ask questions while you can, she adds.

“My biggest lightbulb moment was when I finally got the courage to ask the ‘dumb’ questions. Most people love helping someone understand things, and it led me to being able to understand everything in much more depth.”