Interview of Sebastian Reid – University of Salford

What first interested you in a career in engineering?

As a child I became fascinated by the Computer game programme Sim City, this involved the design and management of a huge network of cities, managing demand and making them grow. I have always had an interest in the Sciences in particular the physical sciences and this, along with my natural fascination of structures, transportation networks and well, big shiny things, meant that a career in some form of Engineering be it Transportation, Civil or Structural, was a natural progression.

How important is engineering to today's society?

As many people have said to me before, “Engineering is everywhere”. If we observe the fabric of modern western society where we take for granted the innovations of our immediate past, the forbearers from the industrial revolution which originated in the areas around Manchester. Without engineering to some degree, many of life’s necessities would not be so easily come by, and life would so be much harder.

What did you study at school?

Studied a mix of subjects which were aimed at making me a “well rounded student”, I was fortunate to be at an institution that enabled me to make a choice although at the time I already knew I wanted to specialise in technical engineering fields. At GCSE level I studied Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, Design Technology, ICT, Geography, French, German and English language and literature. It was at this time that I found I had a natural inclination towards Physics and so I studied this to A level along with Mathematics, Chemistry and ICT.

What course did you do/are you doing?

I have just graduated in 2006 with a 2:1 in BSc (Hons) Civil Engineering at the School of Computing Science & Engineering at the University of Salford. I am now studying an MSc in Traffic Engineering and Planning in the same department as my undergraduate degree. I want to become a Chartered Engineer and the MSc will enable me to achieve that whilst I study a specialist subject area where my career aspirations lie.

How did you find your course? What did it involve?

I found the BSc (Hons) in Civil Engineering using UCAS through Eccles College which has natural progression routes through to the University of Salford. My original two choices were Liverpool and Salford, I chose Salford over Liverpool due to proximity and excellent reputation of the Civil Engineering faculty. The Undergraduate course was delivered by a combination of Lectures, Tutorials, laboratories and Design Projects. I was particularly attracted to the hands on method of learning where the classes were smaller and more personal than some of the other Engineering departments I checked out. The opportunity to take a year out on an Industrial Placement was a major influence
in choosing Salford as they have excellent links with Industry. It was important to me that I graduated with a good degree but also to have real world experience – I know that employers want graduates with work experience and the structure of the course allowed me to achieve that.

What did your industrial placement involve? How long does it last?

My placement was for 12 months after my second year of study – it was with Salford City Council in the Engineering Design Section as a student engineer. Responsibility was the key element; from the second week on the job I was given a sense of authority for the management of my first scheme which was a small scale crash barrier to protect a 200 year old retaining wall. I was given training, advice and all the assistance I needed to complete a variety pf projects. I was also responsible for working within a total budget of £157K throughout the placement. Importantly, I learned how to be customers focused and work with and to, the client’s specification.

During my time at the council I had my hand in over 17 schemes, 4 of which I designed and managed from the initial specification to the site management and contract drafting. The most challenging project was a bridge renovation in the Salford Quays residential district – this is the former Docklands which has been rejuvenated into a residential area. We had to lift the bridge and replace the load bearings and undertake some welding.

Did you enjoy the Industrial Placement? Are there parts of it that are particularly challenging?

 I did enjoy the placement, being placed at the “deep end” was the challenge. In an office environment you have to establish your identity and very quickly learn the basics of doing your job. Within the first month alone I had to get a grasp of all the procedures, design standards and the methodologies involved with the job. All of this knowledge I lacked before doing the placement. Surviving the first month was perhaps the biggest challenge of the entire placement and I felt that in comparison to this, the design issues and other situations which cropped up during my placement were solvable.

What happens when you finished your industrial placement?

 Once the placement was completed I continued with thew final year of my undergraduate degree, I must confess that the first 2 years of my study was less than optimal, but following the Industrial Placement I became more inspired and determined to achieve a good degree. I had hoped to secure a further summer placement after graduation but this did not materialise. Unfortunately due to budget and the fact that the department was already full of University of Salford placement students, meant that I needed to look elsewhere for temporary work. It was at this time that I decided to study further for a Masters Degree.

How do you envisage your career progressing?

Since my time at the council I have steered my career away from the general civil engineering discipline and instead towards the transport engineering side. It is still my aim to become Chartered with the Institute of Civil Engineers and become a Chartered Civil Engineer. From there, the future is pretty much open for me. To quote a cliché, “the world is my oyster”.

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