Alfred Anand MEng Ship Science / Naval Architecture, 2015
Graduate Naval Architect – BAE Systems
The department is relatively small compared to other departments at the University, so it creates a sense of family and comradeship between students of all years, the PhD academics, Doctors and Professors. Everyone helps each other.
Can you provide a brief summary of your time at Southampton?
I can say hand on heart that my years spent at the University of Southampton were the best of my life so far. The friends and peers I made at halls, societies and from my course are some of the most varied and interesting people I’ve ever met. The work that I completed was demanding at times, but the support and reward that you receive at the end is second to none. I believe that once you become a student at Southampton you never really leave, because you will always be an alumni member of the University and will always be welcomed in your future endeavours.
What was the highlight of your time as a Southampton student?
The highlight for me was the sheer number of friendly new people I met with in my first few weeks as a Fresher. That initial time, transitioning from a student living at home to an independent learner in halls, was terrifying yet exhilarating. As new course mates, we were thrown in at the deep end with a group project to design a model (fully functioning) container vessel within a week. It was a fantastic experience and we all bonded considerably… despite struggling to stay on task from all the amazing nightlife offered in the city and Students' Union!
What did you enjoy most about your course?
My first year was great, as it introduced me to a busy schedule of lectures which encompassed a vast range of knowledge and theories to be learnt, laying the foundation for my career that I’ve entered now. I’d have to say though that I enjoyed the group project in my master’s year the most, where I worked with a team of five other course mates to design and reverse engineer an Ancient Polynesian Sailing Canoe. The analytical and report work undertaken proved to be most useful for gaining a job.
What were your supervisors like? Did you find them supportive?
The supervisors are effectively like older relatives within Ship Science. The department is relatively small compared to other departments at the University, so it creates a sense of family and comradeship between students of all years, the PhD academics, Doctors and Professors. Everyone helps each other when asked and the Professors always make time for a student in need, they love to reminisce back to their own student days after all. A good opportunity to talk to the academics is on the annual Ship Science Boat Trip.
How did the facilities available at the University help you with your research and project work?
The facilities are more than substantial to take on any aspect of engineering/research work that you wish to pursue. I was slightly unlucky as I was the last year to graduate before the completion of the Boldrewood Innovation Campus came about! This includes a brand new building with high tech facilities for the Faculty of Engineering and also has a 138m towing tank with wave makers, as well as a wind tunnel to test hull designs for hydrodynamic capabilities for example.
What is your current role?
My current role within BAE Systems is a graduate Naval Architect. It is a two year scheme and allows me to move across the business to sample and work on as many Maritime projects as I can. The work is intense at times but you know that it’s for a good cause and that you are actually making a difference to the business. The company sees graduates as the leaders of the company for the future, so they place high aspirations in us to achieve and excel. As well as Naval Architecture design & document management tasks, I have also undertaken a placement in Finance; I am a member of FutureNEST, lead a graduate sub-scheme and am a STEM Ambassador.
What are your career ambitions?
My career ambitions are to learn and grow at BAE Systems for the early part of my life. I then wish to pursue a career in the design of leisure craft/yachts and hope to experience life abroad for a short time. In the far future I can see myself starting my own business and leading a small team of people to achieve innovative yet quality products to customers worldwide.
In what ways has the course you took at Southampton helped to prepare you for your chosen career?
The course allowed me to develop my time management, reporting and presentation skills. These three aspects are key to becoming an effective employee within BAE Systems, or any company for that matter. It included a vast amount of theoretical information on stability of vessels, hydrodynamics, thermodynamics, mathematical studies, structures and materials, which all are needed to enable you to contribute to different areas. Completing a degree is not only about getting a good grade, but also about what you learn from it in terms of acquiring people skills and developing relationships within teams; this will help you when applying for jobs in the future.
What has been your greatest achievement so far?
My greatest achievement so far from my year of working was being a part of a team leading some sixth form students in a week’s work experience. I was the only Naval Architect in the team and was responsible for creating packs of questions and theory explained for the design of a small container vessel. I was effectively trying to replicate my own fresher’s week experience from University, but from a BAE angle. It proved very hard to handle all the data, check the information was correct and compile it all on my own, but the results were incredibly positive and the four boys thanked me over and over again for my help. Their gratitude really made me feel like I had made a difference.
What advice would you offer to potential students?
Do not hold back! University is a major shock to the system for some, but the more you embrace it and welcome new things, the happier you’ll be for it. Seek help when you need it, no one can complete a degree on their own without help, I’m positive on that front. Lastly, make use of the societies available to you, they keep your mind and body healthy and produce some of the best and memorable socials you can have. I still regularly see my tight group of halls friends I made in the first week; they are also my best friends yet.