Katrina McPhail

When I was at school, I had dyslexia. When I was really young, I had trouble learning to read and write properly. Towards the end of Year 10, I was really feeling the pressure that the subjects were irrelevant to what I wanted to do - which I didn't really know - but I found out about the technical college opening, and so I decided to do computer-assisted drafting.

I originally just wanted to do drafting, but, through doing a programme at the college, we tried four different trades, and that's how I realised I was actually good at mechanical engineering and the practical side of metalwork. I didn't know what mechanical engineering was until I went to the college.It's kind of about making the metal parts that go in the engines and other machinery.

What I like most about studying mechanical engineering is that I get to do a lot of problem-solving as well as occasionally I get to do a little bit of design, and also getting my hands dirty, I guess. For me, dyslexia didn't really impact on what I did with my life because I didn't allow it to and I learned how to do things my own way.  I'm  looking forward to making the drawing rather than making the part from the drawing.