Championing Young People in Engineering at Micrometric

Here at Micrometric it has always been one of our goals to support the future careers of young engineers, and as part of this we’ve been working with students to help them expand their engineering knowledge and experience. 

Working with the University of Lincoln 

Amy Lewis is a University of Lincoln engineering student who has been working with us part-time to assist in developing our welding processes. 

After joining us in the summer of 2019 as part of a year placement in industry, Amy has since continued her role part-time while completing her university course. 

Her interest in engineering was sparked by her talent in mathematics, problem solving and practical hands-on work, leading her to discover that engineering was the perfect fit. 

We’ve been working closely with Amy to increase her confidence in the workplace, giving her the opportunities to problem solve through various work tasks, and she has excelled in tackling these independently. 

Amy said: “One of the key things I have taken away from my experience at Micrometric so far is that I enjoy being able to see the whole process of producing new parts and projects, as opposed to only seeing a snapshot of a process.” 

One of Amy’s highlights during her time with us so far has been setting up our Trumpf 5005 laser welder, which was introduced to our laser welding services in 2019 for welding large diameter and thin stainless steel tubes. We were delighted to be able to send Amy on a training course in Germany to learn how to operate the machine once it was delivered to Micrometric, and she was then able to get the machine up and running for us. 

Working with Lincoln University Technology College (UTC) 

Another student currently working with us is Georgina Smith, a year 13 student at Lincoln University Technology College who has been working with us once a week alongside her studies for a BTEC Extended Diploma in engineering. 

Georgina joined us in October 2020 to gain a better understanding of the different aspects of engineering, the processes involved when developing a machine and the different machining processes for producing the best components. 

Her time at Micrometric has allowed her to develop new skills to apply to her future career as she has built a better understanding of how the components will be used in industry and what testing processes are needed. One of Georgina’s particular projects has been to design and develop a gas chamber to test airflow and better the current model used in production. 

Georgina said: “My time at Micrometric has been the first step to finding the right career path for me; it has influenced me to pursue an engineering career in product design, development and manufacturing, as the experience I have gained highlights that this is what I enjoy doing.”   

Young women in engineering 

An important aspect of taking on young people in engineering is encouraging more women to join the industry, and Amy and Georgina are both an inspiration to women considering a role within a company like ours. 

According to the Women’s Engineering Society, the number of professional engineers that are women in the UK is around 11%, which is possibly the lowest rate in Europe.  

As a young woman in engineering, Amy would like to encourage other women considering a career in engineering and STEM. 

“Don’t be put off by the idea of feeling out of place. The prospect can be daunting but if it’s something that you feel you would enjoy, simply do it,” said Amy.  

Georgina would also like to offer words of encouragement for any women with an interest in engineering. 

“My advice for other women wanting to pursue careers in engineering is to take a leap of faith and do something you are passionate about. No day will ever be the same in engineering as the industry is so vast and is constantly changing, which keeps it fresh and exciting,” said Georgina.  

We hope to continue teaching and inspiring young people at our company. If you’re interested in finding out more about how we can assist you or your students, please get in touch.