After graduating from the University of Nottingham in 2022, I enrolled on the graduate scheme and started my journey at Nidec Drives. 

The E3 graduate scheme was a fantastic opportunity to try out and develop my engineering skills in three different departments, my first being a placement in Technical Support. 

Based in the Global Research and Development Campus and Headquarters, I collaborated and worked alongside global engineers to apply Nidec's drives to some of the many unique systems our customers create. 

I was introduced to a wide range of technical challenges that can crop up and learned what steps the company takes towards a solution. One memorable highlight was a visit to Theatre Markant in the Netherlands, where Unidrive M is used to control the staging. Being twenty metres above the stage needed a good head for heights, but it was a fascinating experience to see behind the scenes and learn how our drives aid in bringing the theatre to life. 

After six months in Technical Support, I moved on to Nidec Drives' Telford Drive Centre to step into the shoes of the applications engineers I had previously been supporting. It was here that I worked alongside salespeople and seasoned technical staff as I visited customer sites across the country, including ports, quarries, steel mills, and manufacturing facilities, making everything from paper towels to jet engines. Each site visit came with its own challenges and learning opportunities, and I gained valuable experience in a customer-facing role, improving my communication and interpersonal skills. 

My final placement was in Embedded Software Development, where I developed the firmware for an upgraded I/O expansion module with the goals of improving performance and making the module compatible with a wider range of drives. I benefitted from lots of useful input from experienced engineers and gained a lot of software development knowledge, but I was also allowed to try out new ideas I had, and leave my mark on the module. 

It’s incredibly satisfying knowing that tens of thousands of modules will be leaving our factory with my code on them, and it’s been rewarding to see new applications unlocked by the improved performance.

So, to summarise my journey, it has been incredibly rewarding. 

The company's focus on professional development and its supportive work environment have made it a great place to start my engineering career. I'm grateful for the opportunities I've had to learn, grow, and contribute to meaningful projects. I am now working towards becoming a chartered engineer (CEng) and look forward to continuing my journey with Nidec Drives.