We had the pleasure of hosting Phoebe for a weeks work experience with our engineering team last week. She was a joy to work with and fitted in really well in a team of 4 men!
“The Allett Engineering team were delighted to welcome Phoebe to join us for a week of learning what engineering is all about. I’m keen to encourage talented women like Phoebe into engineering. She showed a great interest and understanding of engineering concepts. Phoebe's interest in F1 gave us some really good inspiration. All the team enjoyed lending a hand with the steering wheel project and took pleasure from seeing Phoebe’s reaction when it was all completed and working'' (John Gittins, Innovation and Engineering Manager, Allett)
Hear Phoebe's story below.....
Hello, I’m Phoebe. I am currently a student that’s about to start her A-Levels but in my spare time I enjoy watching & developing my knowledge of motorsports, specifically the Formula series. With this in mind, the engineering team at Allett designed a project to create a steering wheel that would be personalised and have functional features such as: brake balance, brightness and working gears. This week-long project would allow me to gain knowledge and develop skills used within engineering as I would be based with the department specifically due to my developing curiosity and passion for the area.
My week at Allett although short has allowed me to definitely consider engineering as one of my main potential career paths, particularly within mechanical, automotive or electrical. Throughout the week I’ve worked with each member of the department (John, Shaun, Mike & James) to build essential technical & practical skills that are needed in the industry. These include; Coding, developing & printing parts with the use of CAD and machining. The week also allowed me to gain an oversight of the inner workings of the company on the shop floor, besides just working on my project as I’ve been able to observe the production lines along with quality checks.
Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Allett but my favourite parts were developing different aspects of the wheel along with assembling it – even when it was difficult! Key skills such as determination, communication within a team and intuition will help me to achieve a career within the field of engineering, which is challenging as a female. I strongly believe that with the hard work of other females entering the industry it will become a lesser obstacle to achieving a career within their passions.
I would like to thank everyone at Allett for my extraordinary work experience that very few people in my position get the opportunity to do. Thank you for reading, Phoebe.
Here is Phoebe with her early design at the start of the week
The final design! An incredible piece of engineering from Phoebe
