Case Studies
The Student: Chris Benstead
Chris first became interested in engineering as a prospective career when he took part in a career questionnaire at High School
The Student: Chris Benstead
Chris first became interested in engineering as a prospective career when he took part in a career questionnaire at High School. The list of recommended jobs it generated were largely engineering based which led him to research the different engineering disciplines available. After deciding on Process Engineering, this helped him focus his choice of A- levels and degree programme.
Following his graduation from Newcastle University with a First Class MEng (Hons) degree in Chemical and Process Engineering, Chris joined the Graduate Development Programme at Aker Solutions PLC, where he is in his third year.
The ECITB Management & Professional Experience
The Aker Solutions graduate training programme takes four years to complete, providing trainees with experience in the company’s five sectors: nuclear, water, metals, process and energy.
Each graduate progresses through the ECITB’s Supervisory Management Training & Development programme (SMTD) which consists of 7 modules including Managing Teams and Individuals, Health, Safety and the Environment and Presentation Skills. On completion of each module they receive certificates of achievement from the ECITB. Graduates also have the opportunity to enroll on other ECITB Management and Professional courses depending on their individual training needs.
Commenting on the ECITB’s programme of courses, Mark Corry, HR Officer at Aker Solutions said, "Our graduates benefit from the ECITB SMTD courses by developing their managerial capabilities in leadership, project management and presentation skills. The courses enable the graduates to develop upon their core engineering knowledge at university in order to become the leaders of the future."
Having completed a number of SMTD modules, Chris has also taken two other ECITB courses in Tactical Project Management and Technical Project Leadership. Currently seconded to BP in Hull as a Process Engineer, the ECITB is supporting him to study for a Post Graduate Certificate in Engineering Management (EMP) at the same time. This involves some time away from work every few months, after which there is an assignment or exam to complete. Commenting on the course, Chris said, “I’ve completed 4 out of the 6 modules for this course and it’s been a really rewarding experience. It’s provided me with lots of information about how to run a business, helped me in the way I view my job and how I focus on delivering for customers.
“I have learnt so much from each of the ECITB courses I have been on; they’ve taught me a vast range of new skills, given me new ideas and challenged me at every level. I have developed a firm grounding in project management, leadership and now business management, all of which will stand me in great stead for the future.”