Mechanical and electrical engineering Review

My role entails servicing and maintenance in which I cover a large variety of systems and components e.g. industrial and commercial ventilating, heating, water systems, drainage systems and all related electrical components. On a day-to-day basis I usually go out with a well experienced engineer to carry out checks and services or sometimes to fix a problem/fault. I observe most of the time and take notes and sometimes I am allowed to be hand on as long as I am being supervised and wearing the correct personal protective equipment.

I have definitely developed existing skills such as working as a team and communicating better. By meeting so many new people and working with multiple colleagues on a day to day basis I feel like these skills have generally grown and also made me a more confident person. I have also learnt how to use many different tools and pieces of equipment while being on site as the variety of jobs that take place are vast.

I have really enjoyed meeting new people and making more friends. I was generally quite a shy person to begin with however through this programme I have definitely developed more people skills and more confidence. The actual work that is covered both at college and on site is also very interesting and at times can be very fun. I’ve always had a technical mindset and love to be hand on and I believe this programme has the perfect balance of both.

The structure of the programme is generally good. When I first started, the workplace for me was very relaxed and I felt that it helped me to ease into the working environment and meet new people more easily. As time went on I slowly began to carry out more tasks and learn new things. I now am fully aware of what is required from me both at college and on site . Up till now I feel like the programme has been well organised and I am very happy so far.

I received enormous amounts of support and help from both my manager and my colleagues. They were all very friendly and always encouraged me to ask questions on thing I was unsure of. I was also provided with many links from Human Resources that I could contact if I needed any help or support with anything at all. I also have regular check ups and meetings with my manager and he always asks me if he can do anything to help or support me.

My training provider has thoroughly explained the structure of the syllabus and how it works. They have provided me with lots of support and resources to look over for any help. The teachers at college always do a very good job of teaching the topics and explaining everything well. We are also encouraged to ask lots of questions and suggest different types of support we may need that can help us not only for work but also for our personal well-being.

I feel like what we learn at college goes hand in hand with what we do on site. The structure of the programme is such that you cover the best of both i.e. theory and practical. I have learnt many different skills and the theory behind many different electrical and mechanical components and systems which definitely helps me perform better in my role both on-site and at college. I am continuing to learn new things that I can apply in my role till now.

The are many different opportunities to get involved in activities at work. We are encouraged to do professional networking in order to meet new people and potentially learnt new skills that we can apply in our own roles. A popular platform that is used is “Yammer” which connects many different people working within the same company to learn about each other’s experiences and also non work related things e.g. sports or particular hobbies.

Yes

Not only have I learnt so many different things but I have also made lots of new friends and I really enjoy working on-site as well as going to college. The programme so far has been lots of fun and interesting and I would recommend it to anyone that wants to get into the engineering sector. One of the biggest reasons I would recommend it is because of the skills you develop and learn throughout the programme.

I would advise to do some research on the company so that you can learn more about them and what they are involved in as well as some of the things Skanska have achieved throughout the years. Another very important point is to see the potential for development in the area you are applying for I.e where can this particular role take you in the future and what things can you learn from it to get experience in other fields.