Noel Miller’s story spans decades, from humble beginnings at technical school to playing a pivotal role in bringing engineering education back to Deakin.
By Maddie Brake.
When you sit down with Noel Miller, you quickly discover a man whose life has been defined by curiosity, determination, and a deep love for engineering.
His story spans decades, from humble beginnings at technical school to playing a pivotal role in bringing engineering education back to Deakin University.
And along the way, there have been plenty of personal touches that make his journey truly remarkable.
Noel’s professional journey took him across Australia, from mining operations at Mount Isa Mines in Queensland to manufacturing plants in Sydney and Melbourne.
Noel’s enthusiasm for engineering didn’t start in a lecture hall, it began with a simple dream of becoming a plumber.
‘Back then, after primary school you had two choices: secondary school or technical school,’ Noel recalls.
‘I chose technical school because I wanted to be a plumber.’
But life had other plans. Excelling in his studies earned him a coveted diploma entrance, and soon Noel found himself drawn to the world of engineering.
In the early 1960s, tertiary education opportunities were limited. So, Noel enrolled at Footscray Technical College, now Victoria University, where he completed a rigorous ‘sandwich course,’ blending academic study with practical industry-based experience. By 1969, he had graduated as a mechanical engineer, ready to make his mark in the workforce.
Noel’s professional journey took him across Australia, from mining operations at Mount Isa Mines in Queensland to manufacturing plants in Sydney and Melbourne. But it was at Ford Australia, where he spent almost twenty-six years, that his influence truly grew. Starting in engineering roles, Noel eventually moved into organisational development, a career shift that connected him deeply with education and training and the ‘people side’ of the business.
In one of his roles at Ford, Noel had responsibility for hiring graduates and training apprentices.
‘At one point, I had around 400 apprentices under my wing,’ he explains.
This role gave Noel a front-row seat to a growing problem: because of the federal government’s ‘razor gang’ budget cuts in the late 1970’s Deakin was forced to close its School of Engineering in 1981, leaving local industry scrambling to recruit local engineering talent.
‘We needed engineers,’ Noel says. ‘And if we couldn’t get them, we’d lose our competitiveness.’
In his letter to the editor of the Geelong Advertiser in December 1990, Noel discussed the fact that he found it difficult to understand why the federal government back in the late 1970’s had decided to cut the funding for engineering education at Deakin in Geelong, while at the same time maintaining the funding for engineering education at the University of Newcastle and the University of Wollongong.
Noel felt that the funding cuts to engineering education at Deakin University’s Waurn Ponds campus would eventually work against the long-term economic interests of the Geelong region.
‘We needed engineers,’ Noel says. ‘And if we couldn’t get them, we’d lose our competitiveness.’
Determined to change that, Noel approached Ford’s leadership at the Broadmeadows HO for the company’s support and at the same time began lobbying Deakin to reinstate engineering education at the Waurn Ponds Campus.
What followed was a masterclass in persistence and collaboration. Noel helped formed a working group with Deakin academics lead by the late Emeritus Professor Lawrie Baker and local manufacturing industry heavyweights, including Ford, Alcoa and Shell together with the Geelong Chamber of Commerce and the Geelong Trades Unions. Together, they developed the business case for engineering education to be reestablished in Geelong.
‘It was like motherhood, everyone agreed it was needed,’ Noel says. But agreement wasn’t enough; they needed funding and a plan.
Through tireless advocacy, Noel together with Lawrie and the team secured $1.4 million from the Victorian Education Foundation – a game-changer that enabled Deakin to develop an innovative, distance-based engineering curriculum. By 1991, the first cohort of students walked through Deakin’s doors, either physically or virtually, with many balancing their studies with work in industry including employees at the Ford Geelong plant. Four years later, many students graduated, marking the start of a new era for Deakin and the region.
And the impact continues to endure: engineering at Deakin continues to thrive in 2025 and beyond, shaping the next generation of innovators.
His grandchildren affectionately call him ‘Dr Pop,’ a playful nod to the honorary doctorate Noel received from Deakin in 2023.
For all his professional achievements, Noel remains grounded in the things that matter to him most: his family, the community, and his love of lifelong learning.
More than 50 years ago, he built his own home in Ocean Grove – a testament to his hands-on skills and love of creating. “It’s still standing strong,” he says with a grin.
And then there’s his grandchildren who affectionately call him ‘Dr Pop,’ a playful nod to the honorary doctorate Noel received from Deakin in 2023 that hangs proudly in his home for all to see.
He describes the graduation ceremony as ‘quite momentous.’
‘I was so proud that my wife, and my three daughters were present when the award was conferred and I gave the speech to the graduating students,’ Noel recalls. Even Noel’s grandchildren were able to watch the conferring ceremony via the university’s streaming service.
His speech to graduates was heartfelt and practical: ‘I reminded them that now they’ve completed their studies, they’ve been trained in the art of critical thinking. In today’s world of social media where facts are no longer seen as being important, you must use your critical thinking skills to challenge what’s out there and don’t take things on face value.’
He remembers one of his grandchildren quipping about his red and yellow ceremonial attire: ‘Pop, you look great in your hotdog suit!’ Noel treasures those comments as reminders to stay grounded. ‘They keep you humble,’ he says.
Noel’s honorary doctorate also acknowledges the pivotal role he played in helping to establish the long-standing collaborative automotive research partnership between Deakin, Ford Australia, and the Ford Motor Company in Dearborn Michigan, which was established in 1997 and continues today.
Ask Noel what he’s most proud of, and his answer is simple: ‘Seeing engineering thrive at Deakin.’
Today, Deakin’s School of Engineering is a hub of teaching, learning, research, and innovation a reality that might never have happened without people like Noel’s vision and determination.
His story is a reminder that change often starts with one person asking, ‘What if?’ For Noel, that question didn’t just shape his career, it helped shape the future of engineering education at Deakin.
Ask Noel what he’s most proud of, and his answer is simple: ‘Seeing engineering thrive at Deakin. It wasn’t just about jobs; it was about giving young people in the Geelong region [and beyond] a future and a chance to dream big.’
Find out more about Deakin’s School of Engineering: https://www.deakin.edu.au/faculty-of-science-engineering-and-built-environment/school-of-engineering
If you graduated in the 1970s or just yesterday, you’ll always be a part of Deakin, even after completing your studies. There’s no better time than our anniversary to reconnect with fellow alumni!
You will join the over 350,000 Deakin graduates across Australia and throughout the world who make up our alumni community.
Update your details