The power of three

Since childhood, the Perez brothers have shared a curiosity about how things work. This interest led all three to study engineering at UTS. Twenty-four year-old Eduardo is majoring in information and communication technology, 22-year-old Rafael is a third-year mechatronics major, while 18-year-old Oscar studies electrical engineering. Having completed high school in Mexico, Eduardo began his studies at TAFE and is now in his first year at university alongside youngest brother, Oscar.

Rafael Perez. Photographer: Joanne Saad

Rafael: I liked playing with engineering things since I was little, playing with Lego and building and those types of things. I always liked the robots as well. I have been to expositions and I liked the mechatronics stand with the robots. I didn’t really see myself doing anything else.

Oscar: I used to play with all types of Lego and Meccano, so my dad called me ‘engineer’ and I liked it. I had a book on electronics since I was young and I read a lot of it, so I had an advantage. If I went into civil or any other engineering, it would be a waste of that knowledge. So it had to be electrical.

Eduardo: Well for myself, since I was little I used to take apart computers and electrical appliances just to see how they worked. I actually fixed many appliances at home. I broke down many computers, but I also fixed many computers. And in high school I got a job at fixing computers –

Oscar: Because he was good at it.

Eduardo: So I basically got into programming and then I saw my brother playing with electronics and I said to myself, ‘Why not?’ So I also got into electronics. I decided computer systems was the best mix between software and hardware. It runs in the family to fix things –

Oscar:– and to break things.

Eduardo: And like my brother said, I don’t see myself doing anything else.

Rafael: My grandfather was always showing us electronic things and interesting stuff like space.

Eduardo: He is a thinker.

Rafael: So we got an interest because we grew up being exposed to all these things. People used to bring us broken computers and we would open them and be like, ‘What’s inside? Oh, what’s this?’

Oscar: In Year 9 and 10, I was a really bad student. I was getting really low marks, but in Year 11 I decided I wanted to do computer engineering. I started to study a lot and I got a really good ATAR in Year 12. So I made it here, and I’m really enjoying it.

Rafael: I chose UTS because I liked the practical and internship part. And it’s close to Central Station. We also had a guy come to our school to talk to us about engineering. I guess not many people have brothers who have the same interests. You could say they copied me.

Eduardo Perez. Photographer: Joanne Saad

Eduardo: I didn’t decide to come to UTS because Rafael was here – I had already decided I wanted to come here.

Rafael: We never see each other on campus because, you know, when Eduardo is free, I’m busy or when I’m free, Oscar is busy.

Oscar: Eduardo and I did our Introduction to Electrical Engineering class together, though.

Rafael: I also did that subject when I was in first year. We all share electrical and a bit of programming. Oscar is very good at electrical.

Eduardo: Yes, he is better than both of us.

Rafael: He is very good at the practical side. He does all the circuits and all that, but he struggled a bit with the maths. Because you need complex numbers – a bit of advanced maths with the subject – so I gave him a hand. But he’s really doing well by himself. I kind of just gave him the heads up of what’s to come and he got ready for it. And he’s very smart, so he can improvise anything.

Oscar: We share and we trade knowledge.

Eduardo: When they need help with programming, I help them. And if someone needs help with electronics, then Oscar helps out. And Rafael helps with maths.

Rafael: Yeah, we rotate. ‘What do you have for me?’ And, ‘What do you have for me?’ We help each other out.

Oscar Perez. Photographer: Joanne Saad

Oscar: Between us we have the perfect team to build a robot. Eduardo can program it, Rafael can make the things that move, and I can make the electronic parts. We haven’t made any projects together so far, but we were thinking we have to make something, because it’s the perfect team.

Eduardo: At the moment I’m not sure what I’ll do at the end of my degree. I will definitely try to land a job at IBM or wherever I can. If I can’t, I’m probably going to look overseas. I think I would like to work for an international company, where I have more options.

Rafael: For me, I guess I’ll look at energy companies or mining. At SAACKE, where I work at now, we use the control systems from Siemens, so I know their products and the company and a few people from that company.

Oscar: I think I want to join the navy or the airforce – to work on aircraft or submarines as an electrical engineer.

Rafael: When I was in second year, one of our lecturers told us that we should be very proud to be engineers. I really felt that. I thought, ‘Now I need to graduate and become an engineer.’ Engineers do a lot of good things for people. They make electricity and try to improve things and make them safe or more reliable or efficient.

Oscar: Cheaper, more accessible for people.

Eduardo: Engineers are an important part of society.

Rafael: I guess we’re doing our part for society. I feel proud to be an engineering student. It’s a rewarding experience. I can tell people I’m an engineer and they’re like, ‘Oh, great.’ It’s a very good achievement.