Jiri Pluhar MEng Aeronautics and Astronautics,

2016

The University definitely encourages placements. My first placement was secured with the help of the University’s Excel programme. The University reaches out to employers and helps to connect students and employers together.

I chose the University of Southampton because of the subject course. It had a really good mix of practical and theoretical aspects. That’s what distinguished Southampton for me. I opted to study in the UK because of the reputation of a lot of UK universities.

The best thing about the course was meeting a lot of new people, and I enjoyed working on team projects. Completing the course, and learning a lot of new things together, was a really inspiring experience.

I did a placement every summer. I was quite proactive in finding placements, and after my first, second and third years, I completed placements. I worked in different companies to develop my skillset and also to find out what interested me the most. The University definitely encourages placements. My first placement was secured with the help of the University’s Excel programme. The University reaches out to employers and helps to connect students and employers together.

The best thing about Southampton as a city is that it’s always sunny! There are also lots of green spaces.

My future plans are to start working for Newton Europe, a consulting company. They work with a wide range of engineering companies but also the NHS. I really like the diversity of the work they do. The course has prepared me really well for this. The company are looking for people who are analytical but also well rounded. The diversity of experiences I had within my course has prepared me well for this role.

My advice to prospective students would be: ‘don’t be afraid.’ Even if you might feel you’re out of your depth, it will all work out in the end.