Q&A with Joseph: 'Bridging the gap' with his summer placement experience

Published 10th September 2019

Supporting future generations
Joseph, who is currently studying a BTEC Level 3 Engineering Course, wanted to gain the practical skills to support the theory he is learning in college.

Joseph is committed to building his career in engineering on solid foundations, joining the Taziker Team for a 4-week summer placement.  He is working to 'bridge the gap' between his current academic knowledge and understanding, with his placement experience through the strong support of the team.

Lewis Thom, Project Manager at Taziker, said, "Joseph is a dedicated individual, who shows lots of promise.  We were proud to support Joseph in aiding his education, by giving him the opportunity to gain practical experience on iconic projects we are working on, such as Clyde Bridge and Forth Bridge, so that he could gain valuable insight into the industry we work in.  We are passionate about nurturing and developing youthful talent; future proofing our industry for years to come."

We asked Joseph to tell us more about his summer placement.

What interests you in engineering?
Engineering is a fundamental part of our developing world.  It is the backbone of a city and allows for transportation and buildings to exist and work without failing.  Without engineers we would never develop, and this is what interests me about engineering.  It is the reason everything works together in our world and I enjoy figuring out how to create something that helps us simplify and improve our lives.

What made you choose Taziker for your summer placement?
I approached Taziker, as they have a breadth of expertise in protective coatings, structural strengthening & fabrication, civil engineering and access.  I knew that I would be able to broaden my range of experiences and knowledge of the engineering field from just one company.

Describe a typical day during your summer placement
A typical day would be going into the office on site, compiling task briefing sheets based on authorised work package plans, shadowing Site Managers, taking site diaries by writing down what had been done that day and seeing the changes and progression of the work.

In what ways has the placement helped you with your course?
The placement has allowed me to put what I was learning about at college into a real-life situation and allowed me to experience it first-hand.

The experience I have gained will help me stand out from the rest of the engineers when applying to university or a job.

Tell us about the team you've worked with during your placement
The teams were very helpful in teaching me the ins and outs of the job and explaining thoroughly, helping me to understand the projects.

If you could pick one thing to take away, that would help you in your future career, what would it be?
How important working in a team is, knowing that communication and teamwork is very important for a project to be completed to the highest standard.

I will take this learning into future jobs.

Have you enjoyed your summer placement?
I have really enjoyed my summer placement.  Some of the highlights for me have been working on site and being amongst the work which we are writing about at college.

Being right under the bridge and going under the beams was very enjoyable and allowed me to have a closer look on what is happening on site.

I enjoyed going on the night shift and experienced working whilst everyone else was asleep.  The atmosphere is totally different and brings a new excitement into the working environment.

Would you recommend your fellow students to do the same?
Yes definitely, as it allows you to experience the engineering field and its atmosphere, whilst giving you more confidence in what path of engineering you want to go into.

Good luck Joseph
On completion of the 4-week summer placement, Joseph said, "I would like to thank Taziker for the rare opportunity they have given me to gain experience within the engineering field.  This experience will help me at college and in future employment."

We wish Joseph every success in his future career.