Megan Davies, an A Level student at Olchfa Comprehensive School in Swansea has long been interested in pursuing a career in engineering, but was unsure about the path to take. As with everything, how do you know if it is right for you?
Megan approached Professor Robert Brown of UWTSD and asked if she could spend a few days at the Wales Centre for Advanced Batch Manufacturing (CBM) to learn about the creative application of new technologies within the manufacturing sector. Professor Brown arranged for Megan to work alongside his colleagues at CBM Wales and the Made Project: www.madecymru.co.uk to see if Megan’s expectations of the advanced manufacturing sector were on point.
This is what Megan had to say following her experience:
‘When I heard there was an opportunity to visit CBM, I jumped at the chance to develop my knowledge of advanced research, product development and manufacturing. Since you are not taught about advanced manufacturing in school, I wanted to make the most of the opportunity to visit in order to understand where a degree in Engineering could lead me.
During my time at CBM, I worked with many Engineers who guided me through the process of how a product goes from an idea to a prototype. I thoroughly enjoyed this experience as I was given the independence to work with 3D scanning equipment and shadowed other members of staff who taught me about their role within the centre. Not only did they support me through learning about the manufacturing process, they supported me through the process of learning how to use software such as Solidworks and Ansys, which will definitely help me during my future studies.
This experience has certainly opened my eyes to exploring a career in Engineering as I now realise there are many different paths you can take. It has inspired me to study a degree in Mechanical Engineering with the hope to specialise in medical devices in the future.
I would highly recommend this experience to anyone who wants to learn more about Engineering as I feel that I have learnt so much about the advanced manufacturing industry and the opportunities that may arise. I feel that this experience will benefit me greatly during the future as I was taught about many different areas of CBM’s work which will help me decide on a future career.’