Sam Mckiever, Engineering

Sam is one step closer to a career in nuclear engineering after securing a degree apprenticeship with BAE Systems.

At UTC Sam completed A Levels in Maths, Further Maths and Physics securing ABB he also completed an engineering technical in Year 12 for which he achieved a Distinction*.

On opening his results, he said:  “I’m happy with my results and I’m looking forward to the next steps in working towards a career in Engineering with BAE Systems.”

He will now be moving up the country to Cumbria to start his apprenticeship, asked why he’d chosen a degree apprenticeship over university, he said: “I wanted to do something more practical than university where I could get hands on and a degree apprenticeship seemed like a good option.”

During his time at UTC Sam completed work experience with McLaren, it was no easy process to secure the placement, as although that particular placement was only open to UTC students, he had to go through a rigorous interview process. He was asked to write a 500-word essay on the future of the automotive industry, before taking part in a series of challenges where students were whittled down to just 10 who were then interviewed.

About the placement, he said: “The work experience placement lasted 8 weeks 1 day a week and it was at their composites centre. There was a group of us an we got to learn about both the practical side and the paperwork around it, we saw the factory and how they worked with carbon fibre.  Without UTC I wouldn’t have got that experience. When I went for my interview with BAE Systems they were really interested in the placement, and I used the experience to answer lots of their questions.”