Andy MacEwen

MEng Electrical & Mechanical Engineering – Edinburgh University

Andy joined the graduate programme in 2010.

“I was attracted to Rolls-Royce for a number of reasons. They were a big company with an amazing heritage. The content of their graduate scheme also stood out for me. I received offers from other firms, some of whom were offering higher starting salaries. But I ended up choosing Rolls-Royce because it was clear that the opportunities they were offering – in terms of long-term development - were far superior.

“I’ll never forget my first few days at the company. It felt like Fresher’s Week, because there were 150 of us graduates starting out –in Derby alone. The graduate programme is clearly a big deal for Rolls-Royce and you can see that in the way people treat you here. Every time you join a team, you’re seen as an asset, not a hindrance. People will help you out, even when strictly speaking it’s not part of their job description.

“My first placement was in Transient Performance. I was analysing a potential turbine overspeed issue with one of our jet engines, using computer simulations and observing physical tests. It was a really satisfying first project in so many ways. Not only were my results presented to the Chief Engineer, I also received an excellent grounding in the jet engine as a whole.

“Since then, I’ve done three more placements. Each one has challenged me in different ways. For example, my second placement was in Computational Fluid Dynamics. This saw me design a ventilation system for one of the zones inside a jet engine. The placement after that saw me creating a safety document for a flying test bed. This was a total departure for me, since it was essentially a project management role. Because the placements only last three months, I’ve had to develop lots of new skills in a very short space of time.

“One thing that’s surprised me is the sheer amount of training you get here. For example, I’ve just started my Design & Make project. This is a twelve-week project where a small team of graduates get an engineering problem to solve. As part of my preparation, I received a week’s workshop training. And soon, I’ll have a week’s coaching in project management, then another week’s training in CAD. The company spares no expense when it comes to your development.”