Howie Lim U
Course: Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours), 2015
Nationality: Malaysian
Current role: Solutions Consultant, Google
Why did you choose to study Bachelor of Engineering (Hons)?
I know I’m not alone when I say that there wasn’t a specific career specialisation that I had in mind when I first chose Bachelors of Engineering (Hons) as a degree. However, my desire has always been to improve process efficiency by solving problems, conceptualising ideas and executing solutions. BEng is incredibly versatile as a degree; the skills and thought processes that I’ve picked up along with my degree have proven to be invaluable in my career and personal life.
How have your studies at Monash University Malaysia helped to prepare you for the working world?
The career path to my current role has not always been through being a mechanical engineer. Through BEng, I’ve been able to identify specialisations that could one day form my desired career path. Monash University Malaysia has helped me to build the necessary skills and resilience to expand horizontally into other industries beyond just mechanical engineering and also grow vertically as I begin specialising in my career. The support from key lecturers during my studies at Monash University Malaysia and especially as an alumni, it has challenged me to think beyond conventional solutions in the face of problems and obstacles in the industry.
What type of opportunities did you participate in at Monash?
- Shell Eco-Marathon
- Pioneering Team in 2013
- Subsequent participation in 2014 as Chassis Lead. Awarded the Best Malaysian Team and the Shell Tribology Award as a team in 2014.
- Student Exchange
- Monash University Clayton, Australia, 2014.
- Standard Chartered KL Marathon
- Participation through MUSA, 2013 & 2014.
Did you go for any internships or work placements? If so, where and did the experience help you in terms of career preparation?
Internships:
- Process Engineering, SMEC Malaysia
- Materials and Processes Engineering, Spirit Aerosystems Malaysia.
The internships definitely helped, in whatever form it took. Primarily:
- in helping me identify a potential career path that I would have desired to grow in (or bluntly, in certain situations, in identifying what I would perhaps not be inclined towards),
- in allowing me to experience the demands and expectations of a fast-paced workplace
- in building and growing immediate networks/connections with key industry/opinion leaders.
What did you enjoy most about your student life at Monash?
Definitely, the people (friends/lecturers/admins) that I’ve met along the way formed that key support system during my degree.
What is your biggest career goal, or what difference would you like to make?
After my initial few years in the workforce, I co-founded TrekrLabs, an R&D lab for specialised IoT devices geared for the mobility sector. There was a synergy between TrekrLabs and Asia Mobiliti, which soon led to an acquisition by Asia Mobiliti. I joined Asia Mobiliti as part of the founding team because of the shared vision of realising a better mobility ecosystem in Malaysia and the region. I’m part of the millions in Malaysia and the neighbouring regions, echoing dissatisfaction with the traffic congestion that we have to endure as part of our daily lives or the lack of transparency and visibility in our public transportation system. The goal is to continually be the change by building products and solutions that positively impact the community, encouraging further cross-functional expertise, which draws out a cycle of innovation for the community.