Placement Experience: Manufacturing Engineer at Caterpillar - Adam Munn

How did you find your placement role? What support did you get from the Placement team?

I found my placement through Gradcracker and I used MyCareer to find suitable roles that I could apply to. I also signed myself up to email job alerts which helped me to find applications at a steady pace throughout the academic year.

The Placement team as well as the Careers and Employability service was great during my application process and instrumental to my success in securing a placement.

Through the service, I was able to book sessions to prep for interviews and to check over my presentations for assessment centres. Before using the service, I had never heard of the 'STAR' interview technique - now it is something that I use for every interview! Outside of the Placement team, I used the CV drop in service to have my CV's and cover letters reviewed. This is also a great service that I strongly recommend to anyone who is applying for placements.

Can you describe the process of applying for placement roles? E.g. how many you applied to, if you had a system or sought support from anyone.

During the application process, I kept track of the status of all my applications on a spreadsheet. This allowed me to complete actions for companies swiftly (which always looks good to hiring managers) and to see that I was hitting my personal target of 3-5 applications per week.

During the latter stages of the process, I used all the resources available through both the placement and careers team – these are a free service, and I would strongly recommend using them. 

Did you have any concerns or uncertainties about taking a placement year, and how did you address them?

Personally, the aspect of moving to Northern Ireland on my own was definitely daunting, however, with a bit of admin and support from the University I was able to arrange transport in Belfast and accommodation.

You can also join societies in other university If you explain that you are on a placement, and this is a great way to keep your social life filled when you are not working.

How did you adjust to a new workplace environment, and what resources or support helped you during this transition?

My placement was full on from day one – from managing my own robotic systems used on the factory floor to being put on multiple training courses to aid my professional development.

Despite being in Northern Ireland for my placement year, I was provided with constant support from my Placement advisor, through email and phone calls. Other University services such as the Legal and Housing teams were also made available. Any queries were closely monitored by the Placement team who were able to provide support.

What tips would you give to students about balancing placement applications with university studies?

Set aside 2-3 hours a week doing applications and stick to it! Placement applications should not be affecting your university work if it is, speak to the Placement and Careers team, there is probably some quick tips the teams can give you that will bring the application times down significantly.

Please tell us a bit about the company you work and your role?

My placement was as a Manufacturing Engineer for Caterpillar in their Springvale facility within Belfast, Northern Ireland. The factories’ purpose was to assemble drivetrain components for the CAT articulated truck range such as Transmissions and Axles as well as other OEM components such as Pump Drives for the 6020 excavators.

My individual role was to oversee the sites vision systems which consisted of a series of high-resolution cameras both with in production stations and integrated on to an articulated robotic arm. The vision systems ran on Deep Learning Algorithms used to detect the presence, quality and orientation of parts within the production process.

Later in my placement, I began working as a Line ME dealing with real production issues occurring on the line.

What challenges have you faced during your placement, and how have you overcome them?

Dealing with high work loads and more importantly not being able to provide results was always a concern for me. Learning to effectively convey my concerns to my line manager allowed both of us to allocate the correct resources meaning that my tasks were being completed on time.

The key thing I learnt on my placement was how to express issues with the view of moving forward to benefit and add value to the company.

What has been the most rewarding part of your placement so far, and why?

The highlight of my placement was being presented an Operational Management Award for my contribution to Drivetrain Operations by the director of Drivetrains for Caterpillar.

Has your placement experience influenced your perspective on your chosen career path or field of study?

Definitely, moving forwards I want to remain in technical roles and stay within this industry.

Would you recommend the placement program to other students? If so, what advice would you give them?

Yes, without a shadow of a doubt. Keep going with applications, job openings are continual through the ENTIRE academic year so keep going all the way to the summer.