As an undergraduate student supported by Nidec Drives through the E3 Academy, I was lucky to do three summer placements before I graduated from the University of Nottingham with a first-class MEng in Electronic and Electrical Engineering. I was able to make many friends at work, as well as learning a lot about the industry and gaining valuable engineering experience that has been invaluable in both my time as a student and a fresh graduate engineer.

My first placement was in 2021, where I was working on a modular tool to translate drive configurations between generations so that customers could migrate to our newer products. This involved becoming familiar with our product configurations and creating an intermediate language I could convert settings to and from. I was able to learn C# and proper software development workflows in the process, writing automated tests to validate my work. 

In my second year, I undertook AMC (Advanced Motion Controller) training and then worked with Applications to develop human-machine interfaces and software to configure them, learning plenty about drive commissioning, PLCs, and how our products are used in the process. 

My final placement was in Power Electronics, where I learned how to conduct double pulse tests and use new simulation tools like Simetrix, using the knowledge to investigate improving efficiency and switching noise by changing IGBT gate resistance at runtime. I enjoyed all three of my placement projects as they challenged me to learn and develop my skills in areas my university course barely touched.

Nidec Drives fully integrates you into life in Mid-Wales, such as a hike up Cadair Idris in Snowdonia, and as an avid hiker, I enjoyed walking to the top with friends, taking in the views. The E3 Summer School is something I look forward to every year. Visiting cities and attending talks and industrial site visits are both fun and informative. Living with friendly and welcoming host families in the town is also a great experience – it makes traveling to and from work very easy, and I never had to worry about breakfast or dinner. 

I would recommend this experience to any future engineer.