Meet Aaron, who after leaving the ENL UTC sixth form in summer 2019 has gone on to secure a Support Engineer Apprenticeship with Cloud Design Box.
“I started at the ENL UTC in September 2015 when it was known as Humber UTC, and I left in Summer 2019 after completing my post-16 studies. I joined the ENL UTC because it was more specialised in fields of industry that I was interested in than my previous school, these being Computer Science, Engineering and Physics. While I knew that I wanted to become a software engineer, I decided to study engineering as a fall-back plan.”
How did the ENL UTC help to prepare you for your current job role?
“The knowledge I developed of computer science and of various aspects engineering such as design & electronics helped me secure a place on Hull University’s computer science degree. This degree and the connections I made at ENL UTC is what helped me join Cloud Design Box. The sixth form studies and teachers taught me a great deal about the various areas of engineering and helped me remain motivated when it came to the practical elements of the studies.
Furthermore, when my sixth form computer science teacher left halfway through Year 12, ENL UTC arranged for me to study at UTC Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park which specialised in computer science studies. This not only helped me in my studies, but it also helped me perceive my engineering coursework differently always wondering, “How could I design software to automate these calculations?”
What are you favourite memories of the ENL UTC?
“One of my favourite memories was the CAD, design and electronics lessons with Rob, Ian, and Claire. The lessons they all taught were the areas of engineering that I was most interested in, and the lessons were very interactive so overall they were very enjoyable. I was able to apply the skills I learned in those lessons when I became part of Hull University’s robotics society to design, 3D print and program various robots from small battle bots to a motorized dalek.
Another favourite memory was the open days/evenings where I was able to show to prospective students, various pieces of software I had developed. One piece of software was a virtual racetrack that would use real-time data from the car to help make a copy of the car for people to test drive at home. The software was an extension of an assignment, where I had to design a new part for a kit car.”
What is your full job title?
“My full job title is Support Engineer Apprentice with Cloud Design Box. I’m based in our Hull office where I remotely install and support CDB’s range of SharePoint MIS integration products into schools. The main products I work with are CDB’s range of integration products, linking a school’s MIS to SharePoint and Office 365. My apprenticeship helps develop the customer service skills that I will need when I become a full-time software engineer.
