Bradley Randall
- Subject area
- Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering
I chose to study this course at Loughborough because it is regarded as one of the UK’s leading departments, strong links with the aerospace industry and a good reputation for students finding work placements. Graduate employment opportunities are diverse too, for example, I have course friends who aspire to work in aeronautical engineering roles, the RAF and finance. Personally, Loughborough attracted me because of the opportunities available for RAF sponsorship. Many students are part of the University Air Squadron and Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme organisations.
The lecturers are clearly passionate and are very helpful when it comes to questions about exams and coursework. PC labs were available 24/7 throughout my course which enabled me to complete my coursework with all the required specialist software.
For my final year project, I was lucky enough to be able to work with industry on a current engineering problem. In most cases, the majority of guidance will come from your project supervisor. However, due to the challenging nature of my project, I was offered additional support, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. I was consistently given support from industry colleagues who I collaborated with throughout the year, and a PhD research student in the department. The Maths Learning Support Centre (MLSC) was extremely helpful, particularly in my first and second-year where we study a range of Maths modules. This is a free service where I brushed up on a lot of my Maths skills learnt at A Level.
My career ambition is to become a pilot in the Royal Air Force. My degree has provided me with strong knowledge in aeronautics, which will help me significantly in the future. The course has also made me more confident using a range of engineering software, which will hopefully help me become familiar more quickly with any complex systems I’ll have to use throughout my career.
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In my first year, I worked as a Pathways Maths Mentor where I taught GCSE Maths to students at Loughborough College. This was an opportunity advertised by the university that is similar to the Student Ambassador programme. This was a great way to develop my confidence, leadership skills and also earn some money! I carried this on in my second year, and had the opportunity to teach Maths at a GCSE Maths Summer School. A lot of students do year-long work placements which I’d definitely recommend for someone wanting to pursue a career in the aerospace industry.
The flight test course in my third year was enjoyable as it allowed us to collect results while live-flying and then compare them to the theory learned in lectures. In my final two years at university, I was also part of East Midlands Universities Air Squadron. University Air Squadrons offer undergraduates a chance to sample life as an offer in the RAF. I’ve had a taste of military flying, adventure and force development training while studying at university and made friends for life.
Also, in my first year I took part in the Royal Navy Undergraduate Leadership Programme, which was an opportunity to practice leadership and management skills in a military environment. Charity work is also something I got involved in while at university. I raised over £1000 for Breast Cancer Now, and cycled 220 miles from London to Paris in my first year. Stepping outside of your comfort zone and trying something that you have never done before is something I’d encourage everyone to do early on at university! Furthermore, I played football for my halls of residence team every week which helped me make new friends in my first year.