Katie McQuade – WSP
I decided to follow the route of an Apprenticeship in engineering because I wanted to be able to get the hands-on skills and the theoretical knowledge of engineering, this is to help me excel in my career in the future having the right experience. This also helped for you to be able to broaden your horizons within engineering, there are so many different routes you can go down, it helps to give you a better understanding of which path you want to take to what suits how you work the most.
Each day can be different in my line of work and that is why it is so enjoyable, it all depends on the projects I am working on. My main tasks in the office are the designing and modelling the projects on a 3D Software called Revit and creating 3D real life visualisations of the pre-constructed project on Infraworks. With all the different types of projects which pass through our office, I have been able to get a good understanding and skill set on a range of different types of buildings, from Steel portal frame buildings and understanding how they are designed, constructed and how they work, to reinforced concrete buildings. Not only do I enjoy the range of projects I can work on, but working in a good team helps my experience, I know I can communicate well with them and they help me to constantly grow as a person and as an engineer.
I had STEGTA work alongside my employer throughout the full two years of my Apprenticeship. They both worked closely with me to ensure I was gaining enough experience in my work, that I was achieving the correct grades to pass all of my qualifications and helping me if needs be, and also getting me to the final goal of the two year – to sit my End Point Assessment. The End Point Assessment seemed a daunting process to begin with, due to the fact no one had ever sat this specific assessment before. I prepared by planning all of my information rough and trying different solutions to finally be able to come up with my final overall presentation.
I am already studying for my BEng Civil Engineering at Teesside University – once I have got my Bachelors degree, I will then study towards my masters and chartership as a structural engineer.