Our Early Careers Development Programme has been designed to attract and retain the best future talent in engineering to allow Morson Projects to continue to be a market leader in engineering design consultancy.
We do this by empowering the graduates to take ownership of their own aspirations and continual professional development with a structured career path framework and a mentor scheme.
We caught up with Graduate Stress Engineer Jason O’Hagan who graduated from Queen’s University Belfast with a degree in Aerospace Engineering in Summer 2022 and Trainee NC Programmer Lara Gamble, who had previously studied a Foundation Degree in Mechatronic Engineering , Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering at South Eastern Regional College. Both joined the business in 2022.
Hi Lara and Jason! What inspired you both to pursue a career in engineering?
Lara:
Growing up I was always fascinated by building, drawing, making and fixing objects. When looking at GCSE options I noticed engineering, it was a relatively new GCSE subject to study after researching it more I decided to pick it.
I really enjoyed the 2 years of Level 1/2 engineering and progressed onto Level 3 Engineering at A-Level.
Unfortunately, I was not accepted into the university I applied for, so I decided to attend SERC Lisburn. I originally applied for an apprenticeship however the lecturers pushed me forward to complete a Foundation Degree. I completed work placement in an engineering workshop for one of my modules and thoroughly enjoyed it.
On completion of the foundation degree, I decided against applying for university as I didn’t feel it was the right time for me, I wanted to gain real engineering experience. I applied for jobs however I was up against experienced engineers and felt I was failing however I kept applying and worked other jobs in the mean time, whilst I searched for the right opportunity for me. I was then offered the opportunity for an interview at Morson Projects and was delighted to accept a role in late 2022.
Jason:
I’ve always had a keen interest in engineering, both through my studies and also outside of education. From an early age I’ve been interested in F1 and motorsports in general, taking an interested view into how things within this sport work and what makes teams successful in terms of engineering capability.
Throughout my school years my subjects of choice have tended to be STEM subjects which lend themselves well to a career in engineering. This was coupled with my practical interest and ability through designing and manufacturing my own bespoke gym equipment. University was a huge learning curve for me, as it allowed me to delve into the technical aspects of engineering, using design and analysis software, showing me the advantages this will have in the field of engineering today. This is something I hope I can build on for the future.
What does your day-to-day role currently entail?
Lara:
My initial learning and development when I joined Morson Projects consisted of a range courses covering different areas of CAD/CAM. Most of the courses I have completed so far were virtual, however 3 were based in England. I travelled to Birmingham to complete them and in doing so I gained 10 certificates which enabled me to start working on a selection on projects and applying my knowledge to these.
Jason:
My role at Morson Projects as a Graduate Stress Engineer involves a range of diverse tasks and scenarios day-to-day.
I am currently involved on a high-profile Aerospace project, using stress analysis software, as well as design software, in order to size specific parts and analyse the effects on these parts due to the conditions in which they are involved in.
Not every day is the same at Morson Projects, my role also gives me the opportunity to learn different methods of analysis, produce detailed reports on how the job is going to be laid out, as well as, presenting work to managers and colleagues which I find is a huge boost of confidence and valuable experience. I am part of the Early Careers Development Programme (ECDP) which I couldn’t speak highly enough of. Coming out of university I knew that a structured path was what young engineers needed, enabling me to work alongside experienced engineers, learning their methods and ways of thinking, but also having a clear view of where I intended to go in my career.
This is exactly what Morson Projects have provided as well as the option to explore other routes within the company, with no ‘stress’ involved.
What has been your favourite part about the job so far job?
Lara:
My favourite part so far has been the vast amount of knowledge I have gained. I have recently found out that I will be changing roles from NC programming to design engineering, this has been exciting news and I’m looking forward to my new role.
Jason:
My favourite part of my role to date is being able to work alongside both customers and experienced senior engineers within the company. My role is very much a technical role and with the help of senior colleagues I am learning every day. The ECDP is also one of my favourite aspects of working at Morson Projects, as it provides an excellent platform for learning and networking in a relaxed environment.
How have you found being part of our Early Careers Development Programme so far?
Lara:
I have found that being a part of the ECDP has been beneficial because I’ve been assigned a mentor which has helped the transition into the engineering world. My mentor has shown me the options and routes available for me within the company and with creating CPD logs it has allowed me to see what I’ve achieved in the 4 months so far.
Travelling to Manchester for the ECDP workshop day and networking with peers were both new experiences for me. I felt slightly anxious as this was my first-time networking but meeting everyone, I felt more comfortable and relaxed.
Jason:
I have found being part of the ECDP extremely helpful at this early stage in my career. University lays out very useful groundwork to become an engineer, but this programme has shown me that there is more to engineering than what you are designated to do day-to-day. It has outlined a clear target for the company itself, as well as a structured path to where you can take your career and in what direction, be it technical, managerial or both. It also provides valuable networking and relaxed meetings with other graduates who are in the same boat as myself. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it so far and hopefully there are more ECDP workshop days to come.
Where do you see yourself heading over the next five years?
Lara:
In the next 5 years I’m hoping to apply to university to gain a Level 6 degree to allow me to one day complete my chartership in engineering.
Jason:
My goals for the next five years are to raise my competency level in my technical abilities as a stress engineer through my experienced mentor and from my tasks day-to-day.
I have the target to become professionally registered (chartered level) by the end of my 5th year at Morson Projects. As well as this, I want to keep expanding my network within and outside the company, as well as improving my interpersonal skills such as communication and working as part of a team.
Find out more about our Early Careers Development Programme here >