Daniel Kaye is enjoying a degree apprenticeship at global engineering company AECOM.
Former UTC Leeds student Daniel Kaye is pursuing his passion for engineering on a degree apprenticeship based at AECOM, an international company that provides services to the built environment. The company works on some of the most iconic and prestigious engineering projects currently in progress across the world.
Degree apprenticeships combine working in industry with studying linked to a university. Leeds Beckett University is AECOM’s partner on the degree apprenticeship.
Daniel started at AECOM in July 2018 and has already been involved in a range of different projects using a variety of software – for example GIS mapping software, Autocad and Tekla. His training is currently focused on flood defence systems. He has visited different locations around the UK including York where he studied the flood defence systems that have to fit in with the historic city. He has already been asked to do the calculations for a flood wall.
Although only a few months into the job, Daniel feels that he has grown and developed: “I feel more mature. You need to adapt to working life.”
At the UTC, Daniel achieved two Level 3 technical qualifications in Double engineering with a distinction merit, the extended project qualification(EPQ) at a grade B and the core maths qualification at grade B. Although it was a risk joining a new college when it first opened, Daniel feels it has paid off:
“Working with employers on different projects has been the biggest advantage. It’s like doing a mini apprenticeship combining study with practical experience, but with a wider variety of study and employers.”
He added: “I really enjoyed studying at UTC Leeds. I had the opportunity to work on curriculum projects set by different engineering employers. That really broadened my knowledge, as well as developing technical, team working and problem solving skills.”
