As part of their ongoing relationships with educational establishments and universities, Guttridge will soon come to the end of their first year of collaboration with LoughboroughUniversity to provide a student placement for Anastasia Kopsidas. The success of her year at Guttridge for both parties is reflected in the recruitment of a second mechanical engineering student Hugh Middleton, who commenced employment on 18th July 2011 for one year.
As part of Loughborough’s Wolfson School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, students are able to take their third year out of university to work in an industry related to their degree course. This is an excellent opportunity for students to acquire experience working in a “real life” engineering position and develop their professional skills.
“Working with Guttridge has given me invaluable experience within design and has also given me a great insight into the engineering industry.
I have gained a lot of knowledge of design and manufacture that I will take back to university which simply cannot be learnt from a textbook.
Having completed a thoroughly enjoyable year in industry with Guttridge I now feel focused for my career and am looking forward to returning to the industry.” Anastasia Kopsidas.
Benefits to the employer include the ability to work with a highly motivated individual with fresh ideas and more of a tendency to “think outside of the box” in relation to problem solving. The student will have completed two years of vocationally relevant mechanical engineering training, will be expected to take on a significant degree of responsibility and technical challenge and the employer will not have the commitment of offering a permanent post. Frequently companies go on to employ the individual once they have completed their degree course and training.
During their year in employment, the students are required to work towards an award known as the Diploma in Industrial Studies with tutor support. This is offered in addition to the student’s degree. The year will also count towards one of the four years’ experience required of working with the Institute of Mechanical Engineering to become a Chartered Engineer.
Guttridge have been extremely impressed by the commitment and energy that Anastasia has brought into the Design department and are pleased to welcome Hugh into the same role.