Mechanical Engineer, CrossrailMiddlesex University was the only university in the UK to offer a masters degree in Engineering Project Management and this course, which was subsequently re-named MSc Project Management, best matched the areas in which I wanted to develop skills.
Make sure you make the most of all resources available to you as it is really important to explore the practical side of engineering and experiment with materials in addition to passing your exams.
My best memories revolve around when I prepared very good pieces of work and they were highly appreciated by my lecturers and fellow students. These memories stand out because they showed me the outcome of all my effort and made me more motivated to do my best in future assignments and projects.
My background was in engineering and I had particular experience of working in a project environment. This gave me a good understanding of the importance of management and leadership in engineering projects. I knew that in order to be a successful engineer, a thorough understanding of project management is a necessity.
I have always really enjoyed practical projects so undertaking assignments which offered an opportunity to explore how to solve 'real life' problems was always really enjoyable.
I think probably the most influential things I learnt were how to approach engineering problems and projects, as well as how to use available resources and achieve the best result through teamwork.
The theoretical and practical knowledge I acquired on my course complemented my previous experience and better equipped me to work on engineering projects. The skills I learnt made me more employable and gave me confidence when applying for jobs and at interview.
As a result of taking this course and my previous professional experience, I was able to secure my current position on the Crossrail project, the largest construction project in Europe.
I love working in an engineering project environment because it always involves challenges and innovation which I think is very exciting.
I applied for many graduate schemes and with perseverance successfully secured a place on one of these.
My recommendation to other graduates is fully understand both your abilities and where your interests lie. Once you have done this, look for companies that are really looking for someone like you and best fit what you are looking for.
You also really need to research the company you are applying for. The more you know about the company, the more likely you are to get the job.
Study as hard as you can so that you increase your knowledge of your field. Then combine that knowledge with research into the various trends and developments taking place in the industry you are going to work in.
Securing a position as a Graduate Mechanical Engineer on the Crossrail project. The project involves the construction of a train line that connects Reading, which is outside London to the West, with Abbey Wood in East London.
Working as an Engineering Procurement Coordinator for OSJV in Tehran, Iran. The project I worked on involved changing the water chilling system at Abadan Oil Refinery.
Lastly, being Project Leader / Powertrain Design Team Leader at Sharif University of Technology for our project entry into the Iran Automobile Design Competition. The competition involved designing and manufacturing a two-passenger electric automobile.
