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STUDENTS SECURE WORK PLACEMENT AT LEADING ENGINEERING COMPANY

STUDENTS SECURE WORK PLACEMENT AT LEADING ENGINEERING COMPANY

First year Applied Science students from The Sixth Form Bolton recently completed an engaging work placement at AECOM, a global engineering consultancy company with an office in the heart of Manchester. 

During the placement, the students were set a number of tasks which allowed them to try the different aspects of the company, as well as getting a real insight into what each job role entailed.

The types of tasks the students completed during the week included:

Designing Tram Routes – looking at how they might plan a tram route from Ashton-Under-Lyne to Stockport, taking into account the stops required, the length of the route and environmental impact of the route.

Freight use – looking at the alternate fuel that could be used when using freight companies, the differences between hydrogen powered engines and electrical engines, the advantages/disadvantages of these and their recommendation as to which one would be better.

Urban Design – identifying areas within a town or city and identifying where disused building are, where buildings and shops could become more compact and how the areas for redevelopment could be used (more green space vs office buildings).

The budding Engineers also explored aspects of civil engineering, quantity surveying, and looked at the environmental and ecological impacts of future developments.

Charlotte Flanagan, a former pupil of Moorside High School, benefited immensely from the placement.  “I really enjoyed my work placement at AECOM because it gave me an insight into career roles I haven’t heard of or experienced before. It showed me what working in an office is like and how a working environment functions. I would highly recommend this placement to anyone who is looking at a career in engineering.”

Rebecca Sharples, joined The Sixth Form from The Lowry Academy, she said of her experience, “All the staff were very welcoming and friendly. I really enjoyed discovering the intricacy and detail behind architecture. This experience has enlightened me on what possibilities there are for my career in the future which has been very helpful. I am very thankful and really appreciate that I was given this amazing opportunity to do my work experience here.”

Johanna Crabb, Area Office Manager, North West, at AECOM said, “It was wonderful to welcome the students from The Sixth Form Bolton, they have been extremely engaged and benefited greatly from the experience. It was also a great opportunity for our Manchester team to listen and learn from the next generation of engineers. The students have had their eyes opened to alternate career pathways available to them, and we’re now looking into the possibility of offering further work experience this summer, building on the success of the placement week and focusing on areas of our business the students enjoyed the most. 

Work experience is an essential element of the B6 Study Programme. The Sixth Form Bolton has an award-winning careers team that support students to have meaningful encounters with a range of employers.  To discover more about careers at B6 visit https://www.bolton-sfc.ac.uk/careers/