Charlie’s Story

Subjects studied: Level 3 Extended Diploma in Engineering

Former school: Pool Academy

What’s next: British Aerospace to do Nuclear Submarine Manufacturing

My story:

Charlie’s top course highlight was the state-of-the-art facilities at the College, especially within the Valency building, which gave Charlie experience of the industry he wants to progress into. Links with industry gave Charlie the opportunity to explore different career options, and Charlie now hopes to work with British Aerospace.

Charlie said: “In the College workshop, you actually feel like you are working with industry-level machinery, which makes it so much better. The facilities are amazing.

“The lecturers are really supportive. I’m not very good at exams. I’m better at assignments and putting in the research and effort into that assignment over time. But the lecturers help you and push you to get the best grades that you can.

“For our end of year project, we made an autonomous terrain vehicle. We used a range of different processes and skills that we had learnt over the two years such as fabrication, welding, joining and machining. It was easily my best project by far, it was the most fun.

“We have had people come in to talk with us and offer different experiences and placements. Hopefully I will be going to British Aerospace to do Nuclear Submarine Manufacturing at Barrow-in-Furness. I was referred by one of my lecturers who used to work for the company, and he told me to go for it.”