“As I came to the end of my placement and saw the new students beginning theirs, I found myself looking back at what I had been a part of and what I had achieved.
"My placement was based with a leading supplier of sprayers within the agricultural industry; prior to my placement I had never been associated with sprayers before let alone work with them. However my interest in the company wasn’t 100% dedicated to the product it was the chance to gain experience within the engineering industry with a company that offers a unique placement opportunity that many others don’t, that being the chance to work my way through the company within different departments.
From production to design, product support to sales I experienced it all. I was given the chance to work with the machines to give me an understanding of how they operate and how they are manufactured. I was able to put my engineering knowledge to the test during my time in the design department whilst gaining new ones. I travelled the UK assisting with fixing machines with product support and attended agricultural shows representing the company whilst in the sales department.
Not only have my practical skills and engineering capabilities been increased tenfold with my time on placement but I feel I have grown as a person too, I feel more confident in myself as a beginner engineer as well as more professional and mature.
It’s strange how placement can affect you and changes you as a person. I began as a quiet, nervous student unaware of the year that followed. I am confident when I say I left with an arsenal of new useable skills that will benefit me within my final year and engineering future, confidence in myself and capabilities, and no longer fear being out of my comfort zone.
I am very grateful I had the chance to attend a work placement, and I have been fortunate to have been offered a post graduate position with the company, as a design engineer!”
Alex Gadsby
Alex successfully graduated from Sheffield Hallam with First Class Honours, and re-joined Househam in July 2016 as a full-time Production Design Engineer. He has proven to be a valuable asset to the company and we are pleased to have him as part of the team.
