What I do

I work at the National Composites Centre in Bristol as a Composites Technician. It’s a very niche side of engineering which not many people know about. My job involves working with cool materials like carbon fibre and fibreglass to make things like plane wings, car parts and structural parts for sports – all sorts of things. We test and develop new composite materials, so the work can also involve working in the materials laboratory, running tests on samples to check their strength and other properties. It’s an interesting line of work.

How I became a technician

My path to becoming a technician was pretty random! After school, I started doing A-levels in environmental science, biology, and geography, not very engineering-related at all. Then I took a gap year to try out different things. During that time, I joined the army reserves, which gave me some great experiences.

I realised during my gap year that I was interested in engineering, and when I found out about the apprenticeship at the National Composites Centre, it sounded perfect. I applied, got through the interview process, and here I am!

I’m now in my second year of a Composites Engineering Apprenticeship and will do my last year next year.

A typical day in my
working life

I usually work from 7:00am to 4:00pm, but we have flexible hours so you can start between 6:00am and 9:00am if you prefer. When I get in, I check my emails and look at my schedule for the day. Then I talk to my manager about what jobs need doing.

Most days, I'm working in the materials laboratory. I might be running tests on new materials using our big test frames. These can pull, push, or twist samples with loads up to 250 kilonewtons to see how strong they are.

Other days, I might be doing microscopy work. This involves polishing samples until they are smooth, then looking at them under powerful microscopes. We measure things like how far apart the fibres have pulled when a sample breaks.

Sometimes I'm working on actual parts too. Recently, all the apprentices worked together to make a demonstration wing for a customer. We had to plan the whole process, get all the paperwork approved, and then actually build it. It was a big challenge but really satisfying when we finished it!

The main advice I’d give is to always show up for yourself, especially on the tough days.

The advice I'd give to someone younger

The main advice I’d give is to always show up for yourself, especially on the tough days. Those are the most important days to push through. Whether it’s work, study, or a hobby, consistency is key. No one else is going to do the work for you, so you need to be your own motivator. If you keep putting in the effort, even when it’s hard, you’ll get there in the end.

A little more about
my everyday role

What I love most about my job

The thing I love most about my job is how varied it is. Every day is different, which keeps things interesting. One day I might be in the materials lab running tests, the next I could be in the clean room working on a new part. I also love that we're working with cutting-edge technology. Composites are a pretty new field, so we're often testing materials that have never been used before. It's exciting to be developing new technologies that could be used in all sorts of industries.

The work is challenging too, there's always something new to learn, whether it's a new testing technique or understanding how different materials behave. I'm constantly having to adapt and problem solve which keeps it challenging.

The best bits about working in a team

The best part of working in a team is definitely the banter! We have a great atmosphere in the materials lab team. Everyone is easy to get along with, which makes coming to work fun. I work with a mix of people, including one ex-apprentice who gives me loads of advice. There are also some older team members who have tons of experience and different backgrounds. They're all really supportive and always happy to share their knowledge.

Working in a team means there's always someone to ask. We all help each other out, which makes tackling tricky problems much easier. Plus, it's great to be able to bounce ideas off other people when you're working on a project.

The skills I use most

Time management is important. We often have multiple projects on the go, so I need to be able to prioritise and manage my time well. Communication skills are crucial too, especially when working in a team or presenting to managers.

I also use a lot of analytical and observational skills when I'm running tests or doing microscopy work. Computer skills come in handy too, for recording and analysing data, as well as maths, especially when we're calculating things like material strengths.

My favourite piece of equipment

My favourite piece of equipment is the grit blaster. It's like a sandblaster - you fire grit at really high speed to roughen up surfaces. We use it to prepare samples before we bond them to tabs for testing. It's really satisfying to use because you can see the surface changing in front of your eyes. Plus, it's fun - it feels a bit like you're using a weapon from a sci-fi movie!

The grit blaster is important for our work because getting the right surface roughness is crucial for strong bonds. If the surface is too smooth, the adhesive won't stick properly and the sample might fail during testing. So even though it might seem like a simple tool, it plays a big role in making sure our tests are accurate.

My school days

Looking back at my school days, I was quite different from how I am now. I was into creative subjects, I took art as one of my GCSEs, along with geography and German. I didn't really think about engineering as a career back then.

Outside of lessons, I was really into mountain biking. I loved tinkering with my bike, adjusting it and fixing it when things went wrong. I also got into flying racing drones, which involved building and repairing them. I guess those hobbies were giving me some engineering experience without me realising it.

I did ok in my GCSEs and went on to do A-levels in environmental science, biology, and geography. But after a while, I realised that path wasn't quite right for me. That's when I decided to take a gap year and try some different things. During my gap year, I joined the army reserves, which was a great experience. It taught me a lot about discipline and teamwork, skills that have been really useful in my apprenticeship. It also helped me realise that I wanted a more hands-on, practical career.

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