Honestly mate...Usyd engineering owns Uts engineering
With regards to the first year prac stuff. Mechatronix and Mechanical students have a 3.5 hr workshop every week doing welding, forging, had a go on the lathes, fitting, CNC machines, and other stuff that has since slipped my memory.
My opinion is supported by a couple of guys in my class who have transferred to Usyd from Uts. They said as a whole the engineering they were doing (one civil and one mech i think) was just rubbish and they werent learning anything.