Flinders mechanical engineer graduate Henry Nielsen is building his career on campus as part of the $63 million student hub and plaza construction team.

Henry, 22, originally from Mount Gambier, secured an undergraduate site engineer internship on the project with lead contractor Lendlease.

He won’t have to go far to join the activities at this week’s Flinders University Open Days on Friday and Saturday (13-14 August).

“My learning experience, based at the new Tonsley site and engineering building at Bedford Park, gave me the confidence to approach the project manager after hearing of the major new development here,” Henry says.

“My ‘day job’ requires a changing mindset, jumping from working with hip prosthetics for my thesis to the construction site.”

Lendlease agreed to hire Henry for a full-time holiday position before offering him the part-time position earlier this year.

Now working two days a week while continuing his honours year, Henry has been involved in a range of work experiences, including BIM modelling technologies to develop the popular student food truck facility, Flinders Laneway.

Having lived on campus for two years, he is enjoying seeing his home-away-from-home changing form.

“Seeing this familiar place at the heart of the University be knocked down and rebuilt into a modern, exciting space is even more interesting because I’ve been here since 2012.”

Henry’s all-round education is also being enhanced with mentoring from a senior engineering graduate via the Connect at Flinders program.

Flinders University’s exciting new plaza and student hub is due for completion by Semester 1, 2016. The major redevelopment will create a new heart for the University’s  Bedford Park campus.