When I was nearing the end of my Electrical Apprenticeship I decided I wanted to continue my training and increase my skill set further. I wanted to obtain a qualification that would open doors to higher engineering positions and provide a real career progression path. A colleague was looking into a Mechanical HNC at Central Sussex College and so I arranged an interview and based on my electrical experience was accepted on the Electrical and Electronic HND course as a part time student hoping to complete over three years.

Throughout my Apprenticeship I had been working as an electrician, initially in a Domestic/Commercial installation environment and then progressing on to a Service Engineer’s role for an industrial pump company.

Over the last three years I have completed sixteen modules, six core units and ten optional units which combined make up the credits required to obtain my HND. Although my qualification has an electrical bias, the subjects undertaken are extremely varied ranging from Statistical Process Control, Business Management Techniques, Project Management to the electrical/electronic disciplines such as Digital & Analogue Devices, Electrical Power and Electrical & Electronic Principles meaning I have had the opportunity to gain a rounded foundation.

The combination of these modules and having worked in industry throughout my training has given me a great base from which to continue and develop my engineering career. The support obtained at Central Sussex College has been fantastic and the respect gained in the workplace because of the additional training, maturity and dedication that part time study pertains is certainly noticeable.

One week away from successfully completing my HND, I can confidently say that undertaking this course was the best career decision I could have made. It was the good grades obtained throughout the HND along with my practical experience that secured me a position with a global engineering company working as a Support/Design Engineer on Safety Critical Control Systems predominately on offshore oil and gas platforms, taking me to many different parts of the world.

I now work amongst engineering graduates and with my mixture of practical experience and academic qualifications I can compete as an engineer in large organisations and possess positive career potential.

View 10 more profiles or Visit Student Network Sussex.