Inspiring Future Talent: Our Experience Hosting Work Experience Students at Acres Engineering
At Acres, we pride ourselves on offering an immersive and meaningful work experience.
Inspiring Future Talent: Our Experience Hosting Work Experience Students at Acres Engineering
At Acres Engineering, we recently had the privilege of welcoming a group of bright, eager students for a work experience program. Providing young individuals with hands-on experience in engineering not only benefits the students but enriches our own team. Reflecting on the experience, it’s clear that hosting work experience students was a rewarding venture for everyone involved, reinforcing the essential role work experience plays in developing the next generation of Engineers.
Why Work Experience Matters
Work experience programs are crucial for young people to gain insight into real-world work environments, understand industry expectations, and learn how their skills can be applied practically. While classroom learning is essential, there’s no substitute for the depth of knowledge gained from working on actual projects, alongside seasoned professionals. Work experience bridges this gap, allowing students to make better-informed decisions about their futures and helping to shape their career paths. For us at Acres Engineering, it’s also a way to inspire future engineers and support the industry’s growth by contributing to a skilled workforce. The students also learned that they will sometimes have to do jobs that they may not enjoy….
The Benefits of Work Experience at Acres Engineering
At Acres, we pride ourselves on offering an immersive and meaningful work experience. Here are some of the ways we feel work experience benefits both the students and our organisation:
- Skill Development for Students: Work experience allows students to apply theoretical knowledge, often learned in school or college, in a real-world setting. This hands-on approach helps students develop both hard skills, like working with machinery, and soft skills, like teamwork and communication.
- Gaining Industry Insights: By shadowing engineers, participating in projects, and observing different processes, students gain a genuine understanding of the industry. They see what it means to work on everything from concept to creation and understand the challenges and rewards that come with engineering.
- Building Confidence: Stepping into a real work environment can be daunting, but by working alongside our team, students develop confidence in their abilities. Watching them grow in self-assurance, from uncertain beginners to more self-reliant individuals, is rewarding for us as well.
- Fresh Perspectives: Hosting work experience students brings a sense of renewal to our workplace. Students often ask questions that push us to look at projects from different angles, and their curiosity can help us reconsider and refine our own processes.
- Mentorship Opportunities: For our staff, mentoring these young individuals was both challenging and deeply fulfilling. It’s incredibly motivating to work with students who are just beginning to shape their ambitions. Our team members found themselves reinvigorated, reflecting on their own careers and the skills they’ve honed over time.
What Students Experienced at Acres Engineering
During their time at Acres Engineering, the students were fully immersed in the daily routines and projects that make up our work. They had the chance to:
- Collaborate on engineering projects.
- Learn about and work with various tools and machines.
- Sit in on team meetings and presentations to gain a sense of workplace dynamics.
- Get a feel for problem-solving in real-world scenarios.
We made sure they received a well-rounded experience, balancing hands-on activities with opportunities to observe and absorb the day-to-day operations in an engineering environment.
Looking Ahead
At Acres Engineering, we are fully committed to continuing our work experience program. Hosting these students has only reinforced our belief in the program’s value, not only for young people on the cusp of their careers but also for our industry as a whole. By investing in their growth, we contribute to a more skilled, capable workforce and foster a positive future for engineering.
For those in the industry considering hosting work experience students, we can only say it is worth it. Beyond the immediate benefits to your team and the students, you are helping shape the future of your industry.
Acres have a range of standard products but also support clients with custom machinery and medium-high volume products such as trolleys, stillages etc.
We have manufactured lots of different tables / workstations / workbenches for various industries.
We also manufacture access platforms, jigs and fixtures and many other types of production support solutions / products.
Talk to us today about your requirements: [email protected] / 01332695240 / Contact Us Form
Click on the icon to check out our social media! Please follow, like and share!
Want to know more about Acres Engineering?
We are based in the UK from our Headquarters in Derbyshire, England and have a European office in Malaga, Spain within the EU.
Find out more about where we have been and what we have been up to by checking out our latest blog posts.
Take a look at how we support of the Armed Forces, STEM/Schools and Charities.
As a world leader in our field, we offer a range of information guides sharing best practice with our clients.
We make it easy to engage with us, we are approved on: EcoVadis (external) / JOSCAR (external) / AVETTA (external) / COUPA (external) / SAP ARIBA (external) / DEEPSTREAM (external) ….you can download our BSI / Insurance certificates here.
