Meet our IEA Alumni - Rasan Chandra

The Sweet Taste of Success

“Engineering as a subject is something I am passionate about and Sheffield is one of the top universities in the UK to do it in. The University organises activities which give students an opportunity to work with different engineering disciplines to solve real world problems. These practical aspects of engineering are crucial for students to grasp an idea of what the subject is about and prepared me for a career in industry.”

Rasan Chandra, former University of Sheffield Engineering graduate, standing next to a large centrifugal pump at the British Sugar factory where he is now a graduate trainee.

Rasan Chandra, from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Sheffield and graduated with First Class Honours. He chose the Year in Industry option, which gave him the opportunity to spend a year working in an organisation to improve his skills and employability.

Rasan is now a graduate trainee at British Sugar, the sole British producer of sugar from sugar beet, and works in their Bury St Edmunds Factory. Here he talks about life after graduation and how university prepared him for his future..  

What does your job at British Sugar involve?

My role as a graduate is to gain an in-depth understanding of the sugar manufacturing process through structured learning modules. Additionally, I will gain practical experience by working with every individual on my shift team, who have the skills and knowledge of various parts of the process to ensure the factory runs efficiently.

On a day-to-day basis, I am actively involved with the on-site shift team to ensure a steady factory operation. This includes walking the factory floor to do checks, troubleshooting and assisting the process operator. I also participate in management meetings where current issues are discussed and targets are set.

What do you enjoy about your job?

I enjoy the practical aspects of the job and applying theory into the real-world. Everyone I have met at the factory is very friendly and they display enthusiasm when answering any of my queries, which encourages learning and makes it an enjoyable working environment.

What are the challenging aspects of the job?

As Graduates, we are required to learn all aspects of the factory and sugar manufacturing within our first year of the scheme. A lot of it is self-driven and we are responsible for determining who to meet and which meetings to get involved with, which requires strong people and time management skills. This makes the scheme challenging but I find this encouraging as it compels me to work hard for what I want to achieve.

What skills does the work require?

Strong technical understanding, people management, time management, ability to think on your feet, problem solving.

Why would you recommend Engineering and the University of Sheffield?

The University of Sheffield has helped me shape me into who I am today both professionally and personally. I have taken many opportunities that have come my way and received guidance from the University’s professionals and academics.

Engineering as a subject is something I am passionate about and Sheffield is one of the top universities in the UK to do it in. The University organises activities such as Global Engineering Challenge and Engineering You’re Hired, which give students an opportunity to work with different engineering disciplines to solve real world problems. These practical aspects of engineering are crucial for students to grasp an idea of what the subject is about and prepared me for a career in industry.

What did you enjoy during your time at Sheffield?

Besides being involved in an immersive engineering degree, I participated in many extracurricular activities, and was ultimately recognised with a Sheffield Graduate Award. I joined societies and occupied my time well with social events and there was never a time where I felt left out because being at Sheffield was like being part of a big family.  

What do you want to do in the future?

I want to be more involved with Engineering projects and eventually take up a managerial role in the future.

What would your advice to new students be?

My advice is to be proactive from day one. You have already taken the big step of joining the University and stepping out of your comfort zone. Get more involved with societies, extracurricular activities and explore your different interests; there is no limit to what you can do at University.

About Engineering at the University of Sheffield

The Faculty of Engineering at the University of Sheffield is one of the biggest in the UK. With seven departments and three interdisciplinary programmes covering all the engineering disciplines, over 5,000 students, 950 staff and £77m annual research-related income from government, industry and charity, it is one of the best institutions in the world to study or carry out research in engineering.

The Faculty has a long tradition of working with industry, including Rolls-Royce, Network Rail and Siemens. Its industrial successes are exemplified by the award-winning Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre with Boeing (AMRC). Partnered with the Faculty, this collaboration between industry and academia has become a model for forward-thinking research centres worldwide.

Meet our International Engineering Ambassador: Adrien Gallet

Name: Adrien Gallet

Nationality: French/German

Department: Civil and Structural Engineering

Course: MEng Civil Engineering with a Year in Industry

Where’re you from?
Probably one of the most difficult questions to answer really, and it generally goes something like this. My mom is French, my father is German, though my great-grandparents came partially from Spain, France, Germany and what is today Poland. I was born in Paris, grew up in Munich, and lived five years in Shanghai. And now I'm in Sheffield! So, I guess I'm from Europe?

Why the University of Sheffield?
I could probably write an essay on this, but I will summarize it for you. To begin with, the university belongs to one of the top 100 in the world, has one of the highest student satisfaction records in the country, and boasts the best student union for eight years running in the UK. We've got the tallest university building as well (the Arts Tower with its paternosters), the university holds a Guinness Book record, we have an amazing campus that is constantly being improved upon and the 81-million pound Diamond. Speaking of which, the Diamond is a fantastic study and learning space altogether: it’s open 24/7, it is filled with silent study rooms and two separate libraries, it has world-class facilities ranging from 3D printers to flight simulators and a cable-stayed bridge. I should probably stop, but you get the idea: it’s an amazing university.

Why Civil and Structural Engineering at Sheffield?
This department is nothing short of excellence. We belong to one of the top 50 Civil and Structural Engineering department in the world (just think about that), we've got fantastic lecturers and tutorial leaders from all over the world (including England, Scotland, Australia, Holland, Germany, France, Iran, the list goes on). The last Research Excellence framework ranked us amongst the best five universities in the UK for civil and structural engineering in 2014, and there are millions of opportunities to engage with engineering at the university (Engineers without borders, Global Engineering Challenge week, Spaghetti Bridge competition, Sheffield Undergraduate Research Experience). To top it all off, you also get your own personal tutor in the first year, which is great in case you ever have any kinds of questions.

What’s Sheffield like as a city?
I've been quite a bit around in the world, and I was fortunate enough to get to see a good number of cities. And I can tell you with confidence that Sheffield ranks amongst some of the best cities I got to live in, especially as a student. Sheffield is a great city to live in in terms of living costs, it has plenty of parks (Weston Park is about 78 seconds away from the student union for example), it’s safe, it’s clean, and people are all extremely nice. The only thing one could complain about is perhaps the weather, because it gets windy and rainy just like anywhere else in the UK! But at least that gives you the motivation to study inside =)

Hobbies Sports. Any really, but I play table tennis, touch rugby and fencing, and I love to hike in the Peak District. Also just joining societies is loads of fun; the investment, poetry and chess societies have so far caught my interest. And regardless of who you are, I can tell you with absolute certainty that you will find a society (correction societies!) that will suit your interest.

Meet our International Engineering Ambassadors: Yi Ci Tek

Name: Yi Ci Tek

Course: MEng Civil and Structural Engineering

Nationality: Malaysian

Hey! Since this is my first post on this blog, allow me to introduce myself a little. My name is Tek Yi Chyn and everyone can call me Tekky. Yeah, I’m an Asian as you all may expect earlier from my name. What doesn’t meet your expectation is that I am actually from Malaysia, a multiracial country consisting of mainly Malays, Chinese and Indians. The large diversity of ethnics in Malaysia enables me to understand people from different background and cultures, which is why I am proud to be a Malaysian. Before arriving in the UK, I studied A-levels in my home country. Fortunately, my result was good enough to be accepted into the University of Sheffield.

Alright, let us get back to our main topic! I am currently studying Civil and Structural Engineering in University of Sheffield which ranked as one of the top in the course’s ranking. Unlike other universities, the University of Sheffield provides an optional placement year for students before completing the undergraduate course. This motivates me to work hard in my studies as well as being active in extra-curricular activities in order to get a placement.  Getting a placement is not easy, however as you paid the price, what you will get in return is priceless.  By having the work experience from a placement year, it is said to be easier to secure a good job after graduating.

As the majority of people may have an impression that Engineering is basically all about science,  I would say this is only partially correct. In Civil Engineering, we study Mathematics, Mechanics, Geotechnical Engineering and Materials Engineering. Other than that, what interests me the most is the design modules in civil engineering course.  During my first semester in first year, I learned how to draw structures using AutoCAD. Initially, it was really difficult, but as you practice more, it becomes much easier and that made me very proud of myself. XD Besides drawing, we got to design bridges in a group. We drew the plan on a paper, constructed the bridge with provided materials and designed a poster to advertise our bridge. The experience was totally worthy and FUN!

To be honest, University of Sheffield wasn’t my first choice. However, I am still grateful that I am able to study in one of the greenest and happiest city in United Kingdom. As University of Sheffield is a city campus, it is rather convenient for students to practice their daily routine, not only attending classes but also getting groceries for survival! The Moor Market, Sainsbury, Iceland and Poundland are just a stone throw away from my current accommodation. Besides that, the Mappin Building (main building for the Faculty of Engineering ) is located near the West Street. For your information, West Street is one of the busiest street in Sheffield because you basically can get everything from there. Everyone loves it!

It is indeed a great opportunity to be able to study in one of the top university and happiest city in UK. I have nothing to conclude but to ask, “Who doesn’t like Sheffield? “

Applying for a Year in Industry

By Usman Sami Khan

One of the misconceptions I had before coming to university, and I’m sure a lot of you will have too, is the very basic question of: What is a Year in Industry?

A Year in Industry can be undertaken as part of both your BEng and MEng degree, in the penultimate year of both the respective degrees. This involves taking a year out of your academics to pursue a 12 month paid internship in a company, which gives you the right amount of exposure to applying all the theoretical aspect of engineering to practicality. This also gives you a chance to impress prospective employers, who may offer you a graduate role in the company upon completion of your placement year.

Actively intending to pursue a placement year as part of my BEng Mechanical Engineering degree, much of my time in the first semester of second year has been spent applying to various companies in the UK. The University of Sheffield’s Career Service offers the myVacancies service which actively shows any work placement postings and deadlines, which help you find posts to apply for. Apart from the university’s resources, there are various other job boards such as TargetJobs and Gradcracker, all of which post placement positions according to their deadlines.

These applications are very hectic and time consuming, as each application presents different questions to be answered. After successfully passing the first stage, companies usually send links to online tests which usually involve a combination of numerical, verbal, situational, and personality based questionnaires, which helps the employer to screen applicants according to their capabilities to proceed them onto the next stage. The next stage involves a telephone or video interview, which involves basic competency based questions, including motivations for applying to the specific company and the role. After successfully passing this stage, applicants are screened onto the last stage, which is an assessment centre at the location you have applied for a placement. The day involves a chance to learn more about the company and the role, including the working environment and how employees feel about working in the company. It gives a chance to network with senior officials in the company over lunch, which helps to get to know officials in a lighter environment.  Apart from networking and building contacts, the day also involves a technical and competency based interview, which tests your basic knowledge for the role you have applied to. The day will also involve a combination of a presentation, group work, or an aptitude test, amongst other things.

Having applied to numerous companies for a placement year, I have started hearing back from quite a few and have currently got eight assessment centres lined up for February, which will take up quite a bit of time in my schedule for academics. Here’s to hoping that this information helps all of you in making an informed decision about which degree course to choose and how to go about applying for placements!