Mechanical Engineering Intern

Wood PLC | INEOS Hejre Development Project
September 2024 to June 2025

During my placement year at Wood PLC, I worked within the Mechanical Equipment team on the INEOS Hejre Development Project, an offshore oil and gas development in the Danish sector of the North Sea. This placement gave me the opportunity to contribute to a large-scale multidisciplinary engineering project during the FEED phase, working alongside mechanical, structural, electrical, instrumentation, technical safety, piping, process and document control teams.

I supported a wide range of mechanical engineering deliverables, from procedural and administrative tasks through to supervised engineering work normally associated with graduate level responsibility. My work included checking and issuing deliverable documents on behalf of engineers, supporting revision control, updating datasheets and specifications, producing engineering sketches, incorporating client comments and assisting with material requisitions.

A major responsibility during the placement was originating, managing and updating the Master Equipment List. This required regular communication with mechanical engineers and other project disciplines to ensure that equipment data reflected the latest design information, including performance requirements, materials, sizes, weights and special considerations. This gave me a strong overview of the mechanical equipment across the project and improved my ability to manage technical information accurately.

I was also involved in managing material selection diagrams, ensuring that drawings were checked, updated and issued to metallurgists and designers at the correct stages. This helped me understand how material decisions are documented within engineering deliverables, particularly for offshore oil and gas facilities where corrosion resistance, operating conditions and long-term reliability are critical.

My role also included supporting equipment selection and mechanical handling studies. I helped update the Equipment Selection Philosophy by incorporating client comments and understanding the reasoning behind equipment choices. I also contributed to mechanical handling and 3D model development, focusing on maintenance access and ensuring that removable equipment items could be safely transported to cranes and laydown areas.

Throughout the placement, I gained practical exposure to offshore mechanical equipment such as pumps, shell and tube heat exchangers, air cooled heat exchangers, chemical injection packages and oil skimming equipment. I updated equipment datasheets and specifications, including work on a caisson mounted oil skimmer pump where I corrected liquid level information, revised calculations and updated sketches as part of the datasheet revision.

This experience strengthened my technical understanding of offshore engineering, document control, multidisciplinary coordination, client communication and mechanical equipment design. My lead mechanical engineer described me as proactive, hardworking and an enthusiastic learner who made a positive contribution to the team. The placement gave me confidence working in a professional engineering environment and helped me develop the accuracy, responsibility and communication skills required to become a successful mechanical engineer.

Chassis Team Lead

BCU Racing | Formula Student Team
September 2022 to Present

As Chassis Team Lead for BCU Racing, I have been responsible for leading the design and development of the team’s Formula Student chassis. This has been one of my most significant engineering experiences because the chassis is my own design, developed through extensive voluntary work, independent problem solving and commitment outside of my academic studies.

My role involved taking the chassis from early concept development through CAD design, structural consideration, manufacturing support and final assembly. I used CATIA V5 to develop the chassis structure while considering driver safety, packaging, stiffness, weight, manufacturability and integration with other vehicle systems. The design required close collaboration with other sub teams to ensure the chassis could support the suspension, powertrain, steering, driver controls and bodywork.

A key part of the role was balancing engineering ambition with practical build constraints. I had to consider how the chassis would be manufactured, assembled and maintained, while also making design decisions that supported vehicle performance and safety. This included applying design for manufacture principles, developing engineering drawings with GD&T awareness, working through fitment issues, supporting build activities and refining the chassis so that the final structure could move from CAD into a physical race car.

This experience has developed my confidence as a mechanical designer and motorsport engineer. It has strengthened my skills in CAD, GD&T, design for manufacture, vehicle packaging, structural thinking, team coordination and practical problem solving. More importantly, it demonstrates my willingness to take responsibility for a major engineering system and put in the hard work required to turn a design idea into real Formula Student hardware.

Work Experience

Allen Motor Group | Ford Workshop, Kent
August 2024 (2 weeks)

I completed a two-week work experience placement at Allen Motor Group within a Ford workshop in Kent. This gave me valuable hands-on exposure to a professional automotive workshop environment and helped me understand how vehicle maintenance, servicing and repair work is carried out in industry.

During the placement, I supported technicians with a range of practical workshop tasks, including vehicle servicing, basic inspection work, general maintenance support and preparation of vehicles for repair or customer collection. I gained experience using workshop tools, following safe working practices and understanding the importance of accuracy, cleanliness and efficiency when working on customer vehicles.

This experience strengthened my practical understanding of vehicle systems and gave me early exposure to the standards expected in a professional automotive environment. It also helped confirm my interest in automotive engineering by allowing me to connect mechanical theory with real vehicle servicing and workshop practice.

Sales Assistant

Evapo Ltd
September 2022 to Present

Alongside my engineering studies, I worked at Evapo as a Sales Assistant, developing strong customer service, communication and problem-solving skills in a fast-paced retail environment. My role involved supporting customers with product advice, handling sales, maintaining store standards and ensuring each customer received a professional and helpful experience.

As part of this role, I also achieved a Stop Smoking Practitioner qualification through the National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training. This allowed me to support customers who were looking to reduce or stop smoking by providing informed guidance, understanding their needs and recommending suitable alternatives in a responsible and supportive way.

This experience helped me build confidence when communicating with different types of customers, managing responsibilities under pressure and explaining technical product information clearly. It also strengthened my ability to listen, build trust and provide tailored support, skills that are valuable in both customer facing roles and professional engineering environments.

Workshop Supervisor

Viva Line Ltd | Logistics and Fleet Operations
March 2020 to May 2022

I worked at Viva Line Ltd, a logistics company, for two years in a workshop supervisor role supporting the maintenance and readiness of commercial vehicles. This role gave me early hands-on experience in a working transport environment, where vehicle reliability, safety and operational efficiency were essential to keeping the fleet running smoothly.

My responsibilities included supervising workshop activity, supporting truck maintenance, monitoring vehicle readiness and helping ensure servicing requirements were completed before vehicles returned to operation. I also gained practical exposure to pneumatic systems, vehicle checks, fault awareness and workshop organisation, while assisting with spare parts purchasing and inventory control.

This experience developed my practical understanding of commercial vehicle systems, fleet maintenance and workshop operations. It also helped me build leadership, organisation and problem-solving skills by managing day to day workshop tasks, coordinating vehicle preparation and supporting efficient logistics operations.