Course: MENG Mechanical Engineering 

Name of Placement Employer: Evenort Ltd 

Job Title: Draftsman 

 

Overall, describe your placement experience

My placement experience was a transformative experience filled with valuable opportunities and learning. Over the course of the year, I collaborated with skilled professionals in different sectors of the company, which allowed me to present my abilities and continually refine my expertise. This experience has taught me to navigate through a professional environment optimistically, pruning my skills and shaping me into a refined and professional worker.  

Describe a typical day within your placement job role

A typical day at my placement began at 8:30am, I start the morning by reviewing tasks from the previous day. I would start by organising  and updating the statuses on excel spreadsheet, regarding the dispatch and identifying those still pending from the previous day. Then job orders for the day will be printed off automatically my role was to interpret the design code assigned to each job sheet, specifying details like size, pressure rating and flange type. After identifying each detail, I would then carefully produce a drawing for each job sheet, I’d present the drawing to my supervisor to review. Once the drawing has been approved the job sheet will be stappled to it then sent to the factory to be manufactured. This process allowed me to contribute to production and see my work make an impact daily. 

What were the areas of your placement you were most worried about before starting, and how did you overcome these? 

Before starting my placement, I was most worried about fitting in with the team and the possibility of making mistakes that might impact the company’s sales and resources. I feared that many errors could endanger my position as a draftsman. To overcome these negative thoughts, I made a conscious effort to ask questions on anything I had doubt on and stay open and vulnerable to my colleagues. This approach has helped me learn quickly and built my confidence.    

Best part of the placement year: 

The best part of my placement year was reaching the point where I fully understood my role and taking on more responsibilities to showcase my skills. This made me feel like a valued asset to the company. Working alongside engineers in the factory was very rewarding, this game me the chance to learn from their expertise and apply my skills in a hands-on environment.  

What are the skills you developed as a result of the placement year? 

During my placement, I was able to develop a wide range of skills. I enhanced my technical skills, especially in drawing to an engineering standard using solid works and using excel to manage orders and monitor shipment statuses. I also developed in my ability to problem-solve and learning how to overcome my initial concerns. As I gained confidence in my role, also gained more responsibilities which made me feel like an important team member. Finally, during the experience I also developed my attention to detail and professionalism, making sure my work was accurate and adhering to company and British standards. 

 

How do you think your placement year will benefit you within your final year, and applying for and securing a graduate role? 

The placement year has already started to give me an edge if I wouldn’t have gone onto a placement. The skills and knowledge I obtained during placement are helping me to complete my final year project, I am required to produce a CAD model of the part I am assessing and with consistent exposure throughout the year I am confident in making the part. I am confident that with this experience a few doors have been opened due to completing a placement that involves using software that is known in the engineering industry.  

 
Would you recommend other students carrying out a placement, if so why? 

I would recommend doing a placement; by doing this you put yourself in a space that requires you to grow in knowledge and showcase the skills you have obtained during the years in university. You also get to see how different it is from sitting in a classroom and instead you learn whilst working. You also get a taster of what it means to work in the company and if you would consider applying for a similar job in the future, if not getting a graduate offer from the place you worked.