Ramesh Krishnasamy

The vast dry plains fringing the South Australian regional city of Whyalla are a far cry from the tiny lush island of Singapore, but Graduate Electrical Engineer Ramesh Krishnasamy is right in his element.

In 2007, towards the end of his Bachelors in Electrical and Mechatronics Engineering, Ramesh began applying for work and hoped his career would take off in South Australia. OneSteel Whyalla, a global manufacturer and distributor of steel and finished steel products, answered the call.

“I am now on to my fifth year in SA and I am definitely not complaining,” he says. “I have travelled around Australia and nothing comes close to the warmth and ambience that Adelaide offers. I do not see myself moving anywhere as I currently love it out here.”

Day to day, Ramesh acts as a troubleshooter for the steel giant, “modifying engineering design to ensure reliable systems, together with reduced inventory costs”.

Long-term, he’s working “hard and smart” at his current job, and planning to undertake a Masters in Business Administration to complement his technical degree and ensure he can work his way up the corporate ladder.

Ramesh, who lived just five minutes’ walk from UniSA’s Mawson Lakes campus during his studies, says the experience of living and studying in Adelaide was a major factor in wanting to remain in South Australia for work.

“Adelaide is a very affordable and friendly city to live in – people have time to talk to you and there’s a strong cultural following. I’d definitely recommend it to other students – it’s a very conducive and goal oriented environment to be part of.”

And he certainly did his part to make other students feel welcome, working part-time as a student guide, volunteer buddy and also assisting with enrolment queries after hours in the IT department. He was also an international student representative for two years and a StudyAdelaide ambassador for the duration of his studies.

“My Adelaide learning experience was very rewarding and fruit-bearing, as I could relate my experiences as a student representative/ambassador for Adelaide, plus my academic excellence at university, when I went through the second stages of interviews.”

But why choose Adelaide as a study destination in the first place? For Ramesh, it was a case of ‘like mother, like son’.

“My mother completed her Masters in Business Administration via distance learning with UniSA and told me of the level of service they provided. That championed my decision to apply to the university to undertake my Bachelor’s degree out here.”