Dan

Why did you come to UTCN?

Originally, my mum worked at UTCN as a nurse. This allowed me to have a more authentic tour around UTCN. After seeing the students work and all of the machinery in the engineering hall, I was set on attending an open evening to see more. Upon attending an open evening, I listened to a speech from a former student who discussed all of the opportunities they had whilst attending UTCN. As soon as I watched this speech I was set on attending UTCN.

What did you like about UTCN?

When I started sixth form at UTCN, It became very apparent to me that the engineering staff will treat you as a young adult and respect you and your opinions. I never felt like I couldn't ask questions to staff in the engineering department. Even if they had little to do with the task at hand, I would say this combined with high quality equipment and knowledgeable staff allowed me to flourish in my engineering discipline. Almost all of my peers were very friendly and we all got along, it seems like UTCN attracts like minded people who are ready to learn and apply themselves fully.

Why did you apply for your apprenticeship?

Going back to the speech I mentioned earlier, the student mentioned degree apprenticeship programmes, and how they work. Degree apprenticeships allow a student to “Earn whilst you learn” giving students vital industry experience that University doesn't really give. More onto my apprenticeship at BAE Systems, I chose to apply for this apprenticeship because the T-Level offers many transferable skills that aided me in my applications for many apprenticeships. Working on submarines is very exciting for me as eventually I would love to work on spacecraft and although submarines aren't exactly the same, they still offer many transferable skills into that industry.

What do you do in your apprenticeship?

In my time as an apprentice, I will rotate around the business to gain a wider appreciation for what the engineers do and what I would like to do once I exit the apprenticeship. I will be studying a degree in electro-mechanical engineering. Finally, I also get to work on lots of top secret projects which in itself sounds very interesting.

What advice would you give current UTCN students?

No opportunity is out of reach, as long as you put your all into everything that you do.