Influenced largely by his late father, who worked in the engineering filed, Chetan Krishan Kumar did not have any doubts of pursuing a similar career. Kumar’s affection for technology and mathematics led him to take up electrical engineering studies at the Fiji National University (FNU).
After three years of study, Kumar, 27, proudly graduated with a Diploma in Engineering (Electrical) from FNU’s College of Engineering, Science and Technology (CEST).
“I had always had an interest in electronics and the technical aspects of things, from the time when I was young. I used to take apart outdated family gadgets and repair it. I chose to study electrical engineering to fulfil my late dad’s dream, who worked at Energy Fiji Limited (EFL),” said Kumar.
After working for four and a half years in the electrical engineering field, he decided to upskill his qualification from Certificate IV in Electrical Engineering to a Diploma in Engineering (Electrical) to advance his chosen career.
“Education does not end once you graduate, as I believe that it is a lifelong process. After I graduated with a Certificate IV from FNU in 2015 and entered the professional world, I had made up my mind to further my studies after gaining the relevant industry experience,” he said.
According to Kumar, upskilling is essential in the electrical engineering field.
“The reason I chose to upgrade my skills was to get a better opportunity at the workplace. As soon as I completed my Diploma, I was so happy to have secured a position at Engineering and Power Solutions,” he said.
Given that engineering requires an individual to understand intricate designs and build from scratch, Kumar adds FNU has prepared him well to excel in this discipline.
“While studying at FNU Ba Campus, I have improved my abilities at problem-solving and developed strong analytical skills. The experienced lecturers and instructors have instilled in me the ability to look at the bigger picture and spot errors in even the minutest details,” he said.
In addition to attending classes, Kumar has been doing freelance electrical works. This experience has taught him time management skills and further enabled him to put theory into practice.
“The lecturers and instructors at FNU are very passionate about their subjects and were always happy to meet up to discuss topics further. They helped me grow my interest and talent. They helped me develop my skills and passion and motivated me to continue my academic journey,” he said proudly.
Kumar’s advice to others entering the same programme is to look at the time commitment.
“If you want to succeed in anything, you have to be willing to put in the time and effort,” he said.
Kumar now plans to get his electrical practising license and take up a short course in AutoCAD, a computer-aided design (CAD) program used for 2-D and 3-D design and drafting. He further aims to pursue a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Electrical programme at FNU.
Enrolment for Semester 1, 2021 is currently underway. Interested students can visit our website on www.fnu.ac.fj or their nearest campus to learn more about the courses available. Prospective students in the Central Division can visit our Pop-up Enrolment Centre at the MHCC complex in Suva for enquires, entry pathways, minimum entry requirements and programme applications.