Case studies
The LEP has many good practice stories to share, here are some of them below...
Sharan Gill - STEM Ambassador
Name: Sharan Gill
Job title: Engineer - Structures
Employer: Transport for London (TfL) www.tfl.gov.uk
Industry/business sector: Traffic, Transportation and Engineering
Highest qualification: MEng
Time in employment: 3.5 years
What attracted you to this job? I wanted to work in London as a civil engineer and TfL had a good Civil Engineering Graduate Scheme.
What do you do on a day to day basis? I work in the Highway Structures Team, we are responsible for maintaining our structures (bridges, subways, retaining walls, culverts, etc, that support the Red Routes in London). I check the inspection reports that come through for our structures and use them to identify maintenance work and any further investigation needed, as well as having a few structure investigation projects that I manage. I occasionally also look at building proposals that may affect our structures, giving advice to internal departments and external parties about what is and isn’t acceptable.
What is the best part of your current job? I have my own projects to manage, so can get as involved in the detail as I like. I often arrange to go out on site with the consultants as it’s the best place to learn about how structures deteriorate and how we can best repair, refurbish and maintain them.
What are you most proud of? It’s the knowledge that the work I do really helps people who work, live and travel in London, even though most people have no idea of all the work going on behind the scenes.
What are the perks like? The best benefit is the staff travelcard for you and one other person who lives at the same address.
How did you get to where you are today? I chose science based GCSEs and A-Levels then went to University to do an Engineering Science degree. Following that I got a place on the TfL Civil Engineering Graduate Scheme. The scheme let me have short placements around the company. After two years I got a permanent position with the Highways Structures team, and that’s where I still am today.
Where do you think you want to go from here and what options are open to you? I’m aiming to get Chartered with the Institute of Civil Engineers in the next few years, and I’d like to do some of the design work on a few of the major refurbishment/strengthening projects we’ve got on programmed before going for my review. After all that I’m going to look into specialising in structural engineering, getting more management experience and also working abroad, but I’m still open to other options.
What kind of person do you need to be to do this job? It’s not all about design and calculations. Common sense and communication are big parts of the job too; being able to explain not just what, but also why we are doing the things we do is very useful.
What advice would you give to someone thinking of going into engineering/science career? Don’t be put off by the stereotypes. There are so many different jobs you can go into as an engineer, and so many different ways to get there, from apprenticeships, trainee schemes, on the job learning to degree and diploma courses.
Caroline Gideon-Adeniyi - STEM Ambassador
Name: Caroline Gideon-Adeniyi
Degree course: BSc (Hon) Cosmetic Science
University: University of the Arts London (London College of Fashion)
University website: www.fashion.arts.ac.uk
Industry/business sector: Cosmetics and Toiletries
What attracted you to this course? During school I always enjoyed conducting scientific experiments and I was also very creative so when I came across this course, the fact that I was able to combine my creative skills with an applied science course which focused solely on the development of cosmetic products, was very appealing.
What do you do on a day to day basis? Most days we receive lectures from guest speakers who are well known in the industry. Sometimes we have practical lab sessions where we can experiment and test out our formulations. Our day varies from time to time depending on our projects and assessments.
What do you find most interesting about your course? Unlike normal laboratories I have the opportunity to use very unique and specialised machinery tailored for use only in the cosmetics industry.
How did you get to where you are today? After completing my GCSE’s in school I took on a Medical Science Diploma at college and completed an intensive two week summer course in chemistry held at the university.
Where do you want to do when you finish your course? I would like to go into research and development as most of the graduates on this course are currently employed in positions like this, although this course also prepares you for work in various other areas also.
What kind of person do you need to be to do this course? You need to be someone that is friendly and approachable as there is a lot of team work is involved. You also need to be creative, good at problem solving and you need to have a good eye for detail.
What advice would you give to someone thinking of going into engineering/science career? First, research the requirements needed for your ideal career in magazines, websites, etc. then tailor your education choices to match them and take on related work experience on the way.
Mark Griffiths - STEM Ambassador
Name: Mark Griffiths
Job title: Principal Traffic Control Engineer
Employer: Transport for London (TfL) - www.tfl.gov.uk
Industry/business sector: Government / Traffic Engineering
Highest qualification: BA (Hons) Geography
Time in employment: 6 years
What attracted you into doing this? I was attracted into signal engineering by a number of things such as, travelling in London, meeting lots of stake holders (boroughs, developers, police, consultants), the challenge, scope to progress and working for an excellent organization such as TfL. I love my job – it’s a new buzz and challenge every day.
What do you do on a day to day basis? As a manager it’s mainly about meetings and ensuring my team are happy. When I was doing scheme work it was about design, challenges of making my signals give the best results to traffic capacity and attending site to manage contractors and oversee installation / commissioning. I had a good balance between being in the TfL office and on the road.
What is the best part of your job? The traffic signal design and engineering work I get to complete. I love seeing a design go from a piece of paper to something functional.
What are your hours like? I typically work a 35 hour week, I get 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays and free travel in London for me and someone who lives at the same home address.
How did you get to where you are today? Hard work, discipline and a drive to achieve.
What kind of person do you need to be to do this job? To succeed in this job you need to be dedicated, able to think outside the box and have a real passion for the work and the ultimate outcome you deliver.
What advice would you give to someone thinking of going into engineering/science career? Just do it! You might not make millions of pounds, but you will really benefit an enormous number of people.
Tracy Hudson - STEM Ambassador
Name: Tracy Hudson
Job title: Traffic Control Engineer
Employer: Transport for London (TfL) - www.tfl.gov.uk
Industry/business sector: Transport
Time in employment: 2.5 years
What attracted you into doing this? The fact that I am able to utilize my degree as well as gain additional knowledge
What do you do on a day to day basis? Design and implement traffic signals
What is the best part of your current job? Doing site visits and interrogating a controller
What are you most proud of in what you do? I’m proud of the fact that I am one of the few women in this field which is mostly dominated by men.
What are your hours perks like? Good, I get 30 days holiday plus free travel!
How did you get to where you are today? Dedication and hard work.
Where do you think you want to go from here and what options are open to you? Becoming a Chartered Engineer
What kind of person do you need to be to do this job? You have to care about people and be a team player as every scheme that you design has to take people into consideration with regard to their safety.
What one piece of advice would you give to someone thinking of going into engineering/science career? Engineering is enjoyable, the fact that you can start a project and see the end product is really rewarding. It takes a lot of dedication and hard work so study hard, set your goals and work towards them.
