Celebrating National Women in Engineering Day

“Education and experience with the correct attitude will unlock a world of choices for your career.” Jacqui Snow, apprentice.

Jacqui Snow is a mechanical engineering apprentice who took part in a Leonardo Mobility project in May. Jacqui and a group of five other apprentices travelled to Mannheim in Germany to do a two-week work experience placement with the German company MVV. Germany is one of the leading countries in the world for engineering and Jacqui was keen to find out where many of the “best products, vehicles or inventors have been created.” Whilst on her mobility placement, she took a leading role in the MVV apprenticeship workshops, developed her German language skills and helped to make a beach buggy.

Jacqui and her fellow apprentices with their beach buggy mid-build

The placement, organised by City College Plymouth, allowed Jacqui to build on her technical knowledge acquired through her qualifications: a BTEC in Mechanical Engineering and an Advanced Apprenticeship in Manufacturing, Technology and Science. Jacqui also felt that the project developed her communication skills, essential for employability such as team building activities and being confident with presentation skills.

Jacqui says:

“This programme has strengthened my CV and has given me experience of working in engineering across European countries… (It) has proven that I can work to a high standard within a team, as well as being a team leader… I have learnt a great amount about myself, including how to develop my workshop working techniques and I will be able to talk about this in interviews with future employers.”

Jacqui currently holds an unconditional place to study Mechanical Engineering at Plymouth University from September – a real success story!

If you are, like Jacqui, a female engineer taking part in a project funded by the Lifelong Learning Programme, don’t forget to get involved by tweeting us your stories @erasmusplusuk!

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