Engineering Personal Statement

I have always had an interest in the way things work, and since I was young, science has been one of my favourite subjects. My interest in sciences, particularly physics, has developed throughout my time at school, and I enjoy the challenge of using scientific and mathematical ideas when solving everyday problems. Last year I took part in the Engineering Education Scheme, working alongside three other students, with the local water company, to work on a project involving the removal of sludge from a drinking water clarification tank. This helped me to develop time management, problem-solving and teamwork skills, as we encountered several problems along the way (mostly involving the sludge), as well as having to cope with each other for long hours in order to meet deadlines. I found this both challenging and rewarding, and achieved a Gold Crest Award as well as being able to take part in the regional final of the Young Engineers for Britain competition. The scheme gave me a useful insight into the types of problems that engineers have to solve, and convinced me that engineering is the career path I want to follow. I aim to secure sponsorship for my course with a local company, as this will provide me with experience of industrial work during the holidays, as well as helping me financially through my time at university. I believe that good links between engineers and businesses are essential for an efficient and profitable future for British industry. Studying Economics to AS-level, along with sciences and maths, has helped me to understand some of the scientific principles behind production and management techniques. Physics has taught me about how things behave, and how these properties can be used in solving both practical and theoretical situations. Studying biology has helped me to appreciate the role that engineers can play in helping to balance industry and natural environment. My favourite part of the course is the environment module, as I enjoy learning about how different species can adapt to their surroundings. Mathematics gives me the opportunity to apply familiar concepts to unfamiliar situations, and I enjoy the challenge of solving mathematical problems. I also find further maths enjoyable, as I find it more challenging than my normal maths lessons. Alongside my school work, I have been studying an Open University science short course entitled Food and Health: A Chemical Story. I enjoy working on the course, as it helps to broaden my scientific reading, and covers interesting topics in more depth than my school studies. It also helps me with my independent study and time management skills. I am due to complete the course at the end of October. I like to be involved in other aspects of school life, for example I took part in the junior mock trial competition lower down the school. Last year I was assistant house captain, helping to encourage younger members of my house in competitions. I helped backstage in the sixth form show, which I intend to do again this year. I am a year eight buddy, which involves helping an able younger student with extra schoolwork. I take drama lessons out of school, and recently passed Guildhall Grade 6 solo acting with honours. I have been involved in five musicals since starting at this school, and am currently rehearsing for my first principal role in the schools production of Les Miserables. I have also taken part in several productions with local youth theatre and amateur dramatics societies, ranging from William Shakespeare to Willy Russell. I play the violin in the school orchestra, and enjoy singing in the school choir. I also take part in music activities outside of school, and am involved in groups such as Burton Sinfonia and Staffordshire Youth Choir. Although at the moment I intend to complete a degree in manufacturing engineering, I do not feel that I am in the best position to make any final decisions about my career yet, and have chosen courses with the first year (and in some cases the second year) common to degree programmes in many disciplines of engineering. My experiences of engineering so far have been both challenging and rewarding, and I hope that my future career will be too.

Industrial Engineering Personal Statement

I have been interested in engineering from an early age, since I helped my Grandad install domestic mains drainage at the age of three! Since then, I have developed my interest and understanding of the field, and would like to read Engineering at university. I am taking four 'A' levels, as well as additional Mechanics Maths modules to give grounding in the Maths required for Engineering I was a member of one of the three regional winning teams in the 2002 Engineering Education Scheme (EES). Our team of four students worked with an employee of Corus plc. to solve a real-life engineering problem. Our brief was to design a system to autonomously detect and remove the crossweld from cold rolled steel tubing, once these had ended their purpose of keeping the flow production of the steel tube continuous. The solution that we chose was to use digital image processing. A digital camera with a screened lens showing only a few lines of pixels was placed above the moving tube, along with a coloured light. As the crossweld passed the camera, the movement of the shadow behind the weld (caused by the coloured light) triggered an output from motion detection software linked to the camera. This output triggered flying saws that removed the weld. My participation in the EES scheme has provided me with a broader insight into industrial engineering I am interested in sustainable or 'green' engineering design, and would like to pursue a career in this field of work. I am particularly interested in sustainable construction practices, for example making use of renewable energy sources within new buildings to minimise the environmental impact of such developments. I am a member of the Association for Environmentally Conscious Building (AECB), and have read several books on the subject including Victor Papanek's 'The Green Imperative' I have gained valuable experience in sustainable engineering, by work shadowing the Managing Director of a company designing and producing refrigeration systems. These have relatively low environmental impacts, by using more energy efficient machines and refrigerants, which do not contribute to the ozone hole. This work shadowing at Environmental Process Systems Ltd, (as well as the EES scheme) has given me a valuable insight into engineering in the world of industry Since September 20011 have had a part time job (eight hours per week) as a laboratory technician at school, repairing physics equipment, designing and building new apparatus and storage boxes, as well as ordering new components. I have had little close supervision, and I am largely expected to work from my own initiative. The job has provided useful knowledge of various electronic components. I am interested in electronics, and would like to develop my understanding of electronic circuitry Before starting a higher education degree course at university, I would like to take a gap year. In this time, I would like to take part in the Year In Industry scheme, and I have applied for a placement. I hope to join a company such as the Environment Agency for the year This would give me more work experience in engineering. I have also contacted The Centre for Alternative Technology, and the Intermediate Technology Development Group for gap year opportunities My other interests include playing music, and taking part in dramatic productions, contributing as a musician, or a stage technician. I have had a major role in establishing sound and lighting systems, as well as the responsibility of operating these during at least 10 school and local community productions. This has provided useful knowledge of the control of stage electrics and optics, as well as developing team-working skills. Another responsibility I have is head chorister for our local youth church choir. Recently I have passed the 'Royal School for Church Music' Deans Award. I also enjoy sailing and kayaking as well as walking, cycling, natural history and carpentry.

Engineering Personal Statement

Having enjoyed science over the years, I decided that Engineering was the course I wanted to pursue. The fact that the course will allow me to exercise my mind in a very demanding context appeals to me greatly. By this, I mean the general method of analysis and approach to problems that Engineering provides is what I am looking for. It is very logical and as a result has an inherent beauty to it when you see that everything in a formulated argument is coherent. My choice to read Engineering has also been furthered by New Scientist and more recently STEP physics which have whetted my appetite for further study I decided to take the IB in order to study the Sciences and Mathematics but as well to take other subjects in order to continue important skills in English and French. These skills help communication, which I value as an important skill when working in an Engineering team or in everyday university life. Whilst the IB Mathematics course has proved challenging I decided to follow a Further Mathematics course involving some STEP Maths and Mechanics Four to overcome the lack of Mechanics in the course Against this the aspect of the IB programme that has appealed to me the most is the practical application of Physics and Maths in a quantitative way. This approach allows us to experiment with situations that are relevant to everyday life and to these situations we can apply the problem-solving skills to improve the situation before us. Other factors that have influenced my decision to read Engineering throughout my school career involve the potential for private research whereby you can discover things experimentally and theoretically This was achieved, primarily, while carrying out my Extended Essay, which, although in Chemistry, gave me a flavour of what doing you own private research is all about. This is a skill which I feel will be useful in Engineering and one that has given me a good degree of satisfaction in coming out with a good result The breadth I have gained from taking the IB has been of great importance to me, and I plan to continue with a range of activities that I have picked up through the CAS programme and general interest. Having been a Petty Officer in the Navy Combined Cadet Force I feel I have been able to enjoy myself but also profit in terms of team building and leadership which I have found to be vital as a School Prefect. In carrying out responsibilities as a Prefect I have become aware how much time and effort you must put into organising yourself in order to live up to your own expectations and the expectations of others These skills were put into practice when I partook in the Young Enterprise Scheme. As director of operations and finance, I learnt how difficult it was to motivate workers and keep the production of our photo frames up. However, again this experience was very valuable and I learnt more about how to run a business as well as a team to a much greater effect than one can be taught in class. Over the past year, I have also played Basketball and fives in the first teams and also run in the cross country team in addition to being a regular attendant of the Defunct Economist Society and more recently the Cultural Awareness Society I plan to use my Gap Year as a chance to become a more rounded individual and gain some experience of the world. In applying to Arthur Andersen for a scholarship I hope to build my teamwork skills and leadership qualities further still before embarking on a trip to France to make myself fluent in French.