Student stories

I am going on a Professional Training Year now as a Systems Design Engineer for MBDA, and I think that getting to work in industry for a year will help give me a better idea of what I want to do when I finish my degree. I’m really excited to start my placement and to get to experience what it’s like working as a Systems Design Engineer.

Engineering has a great range of facilities all over the campus, from the Engineering Design Centre to the Workshops. This allows us to compete in extracurricular competitions, like the ones I take part in with Peryton Space.

Every project I did on placement involved an element of collaboration, and the leadership, communication and teamworking skills I gained have really supported my group project work.

University is great for gaining a whole range of knowledge you need, but a placement year gives you the chance to develop on a personal level and use that knowledge to create real world impact. At its core, engineering is about solving problems, and a placement year gives you the perfect opportunity to do that.

My placement experience was great overall: it taught me plenty and helped me make some really good professional connections. I was given a lot more responsibility than I expected as a placement student.

I do enjoy the salary, but the best part is definitely the people I’ve met – everyone has been so pleasant, welcoming and helpful.

The people and the history of Williams Racing are unique and what they’ve achieved as a small family business is incredible. I felt like a part of the team from the first day.

I would absolutely recommend doing a Professional Training Year, not just to enhance technical skills and knowledge but to develop soft skills, which at times can be more important.