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Oscar CollinsPetroleum Engineering
"..with petroleum I will be able to travel and work offshore on the rigs which would be very cool” Combining his love of geology, travel and the great outdoors is what spurred Oscar Collins to study Petroleum Engineering at the University of Adelaide. Growing up, Oscar loved collecting, analyzing, and trading rocks with his mates so a future career in mining was always on the cards. However, it was a conversation with his great-uncle that convinced him to go into petroleum. “My Dad’s uncle works at the Santos Moomba processing plant in the remote Cooper Basin, and he said it was a very interesting and rewarding field to get into,” Oscar explains. “I knew I wanted to work outdoors, and with petroleum I will be able to travel and work offshore on the rigs which would be very cool.” The prospect of living and travelling in the regions is also a big part of the appeal. Born in Mount Gambier, his family moved to the small town of Lucindale in the state’s Southeast before relocating to the remote King Island just off Tasmania to look after the family’s farm for a few years. The family now lives in Victor Harbor where Oscar completed his senior school studies with a focus on mathematics, chemistry, and physics, setting up his pathway into engineering. “Work hard in school because it definitely pays off down the line,” Oscar says. |
“I would also definitely recommend doing an extra subject in Year 11 if you can – I did Year 12 Japanese in Year 11, and it made life a lot easier as I had one less subject to do in Year 12.”
It was the Dean of Oscar’s senior school that alerted him to the opportunity for a Playford Trust Scholarship. With the support of his school and family, he submitted his application which involved filling in a few simple questions and providing academic and personal references.
When an email appeared in his inbox from the Playford Trust, Oscar knew instantly it was good news.
“I was in complete shock when I saw the email come in. I ran and told my mum, and then phoned my teacher and personal reference to thank them. I couldn’t have done it without them,” Oscar recalls.
The scholarship takes a huge financial load of Oscar’s shoulders. Knowing his university fees are being taken care of for the first two years helps with his overall living and travel costs and allows him to focus more on his studies.
“The support that has been offered by the University of Adelaide and the Playford Trust is great – there are a lot of resources on offer and help is always on hand when you need it.”
Oscar has selected to partner with Santos as part of his Playford Trust Scholarship and is excited by the opportunity to participate in the International Study Exchange offered as part of the Petroleum Engineering degree.
“I will be offered an internship with Santos as part of the scholarship which will give me some great experience and insight into the industry. There are so many different career pathways, so I am looking forward to testing and trialing which way to go.”
“There is so many exciting innovations happening across the resources sector with the uptake of renewables, alternate fuel sources and carbon capture and storage - there is still a very large need for petroleum engineers and will be for a while. Plus, I am learning easily transferable skills which will set me up a number of different roles in the future.”
It was the Dean of Oscar’s senior school that alerted him to the opportunity for a Playford Trust Scholarship. With the support of his school and family, he submitted his application which involved filling in a few simple questions and providing academic and personal references.
When an email appeared in his inbox from the Playford Trust, Oscar knew instantly it was good news.
“I was in complete shock when I saw the email come in. I ran and told my mum, and then phoned my teacher and personal reference to thank them. I couldn’t have done it without them,” Oscar recalls.
The scholarship takes a huge financial load of Oscar’s shoulders. Knowing his university fees are being taken care of for the first two years helps with his overall living and travel costs and allows him to focus more on his studies.
“The support that has been offered by the University of Adelaide and the Playford Trust is great – there are a lot of resources on offer and help is always on hand when you need it.”
Oscar has selected to partner with Santos as part of his Playford Trust Scholarship and is excited by the opportunity to participate in the International Study Exchange offered as part of the Petroleum Engineering degree.
“I will be offered an internship with Santos as part of the scholarship which will give me some great experience and insight into the industry. There are so many different career pathways, so I am looking forward to testing and trialing which way to go.”
“There is so many exciting innovations happening across the resources sector with the uptake of renewables, alternate fuel sources and carbon capture and storage - there is still a very large need for petroleum engineers and will be for a while. Plus, I am learning easily transferable skills which will set me up a number of different roles in the future.”