Olli

Previous School: Sir James Smith Community School

Courses studied: A Level Maths, Physics and Geography

Extra Activities: Rugby Academy

Progression: Master's in Civil Engineering - Swansea University

How are you feeling to have graduated?

I feel relieved to have graduated but also really pleased and excited to get started with my career after five years of hard work. It's a mix of satisfaction and anticipation for what lies ahead.

I was fortunate enough to win two awards on the day. The first was the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) student award, an incredibly proud moment and one I will never forget. The second was the Terry Noonan Prize for the Best MEng Civil Engineering Group Design Project, which I received jointly with my amazing friends for our work on the Park View Wellbeing Hub. I’m incredibly proud of what we have achieved together.

My time at university was great, and Swansea was an incredible city. Being right by the sea made it feel like I was still in Cornwall. The master's program was very challenging but also enjoyable, especially since I got to work on a real-life project alongside a company for my dissertation. My 13 month industry placement with McLaughlin & Harvey Ltd was incredible and invaluable. I would highly recommend that anyone does a placement if they have the opportunity. It’s the most valuable experience you can gain during your degree and certainly makes you more motivated to start work.

Callywith prepared me exceptionally well for university. The way the college runs and how lectures are taught sets you up perfectly for the transition to university life. You are treated like an adult, and it’s up to you to put in the extra effort during study periods, mirroring the university experience. They were extremely supportive during the application process and provided lots of guidance and support, which was crucial in helping me get to where I am today.

I chose to do Civil Engineering at uni, as I was fascinated by how structures were able to stand so tall and withstand all sorts of forces acting on them without collapsing. Knowing how to design structural elements which one day will be used in the construction of a skyscraper or bridge is exciting!

I enjoyed A Level Maths at Callywith, as there was always something new to focus on. The lessons were engaging and constantly had a focus on practise questions, the weekly assignments, although tough, really helped with understanding the recently taught material and helped a lot when it came down to exam revision. The assignments also helped a lot with the uni transition, having just a week to complete and hand in the assignment made you manage and balance your time well, which is key whilst at uni.

My A Levels gave me a broad understanding of how forces work and how simple maths can be adapted and used to create super structures. The broad range of material taught, gave me an edge over my course mates as I already had a basic understanding of what we were learning about, many of them found themselves having to do additional work just to get a grasp of what we were being taught.

Having now graduated, I am starting my career as a Civil Engineer for Mott MacDonald in Bristol, working in the Bridges and Structures division. I am super eager to get started, kick-start my career, and eventually become a chartered engineer, and maybe one day set up my own firm.