Last week we welcomed Sam Birkinshaw to the company as he completed four days of work experience with us. Sam is 15 years old and is studying at Norton College, which is a local school close to the Swinton Technology office in Malton. The team was blown away by his willingness to learn, and he got stuck right into various activities during his time with us.
What Sam got up to at Swinton Technology
- Attended a H&S briefing, learnt about why we work in isolated panels, and why people have to be specially trained/authorised to do certain tasks.
- Carried out a new panel inspection and completed the inspection checklist, which included dimensions, overall finish, and using a multimeter to check continuity and resistance.
- Read schematics and general arrangement drawings to find information to check in the panel.
- Checked fuse and MCB ratings against a drawing.
- Did some fault finding (and found a fault and fixed it!).
- Had lunch with the client.
- Wired in a simulation panel by following a termination diagram.
- Wired in a test valve, ultrasonic probe and sounder beacon.
- Used the simulation rig to control the panel.
- Tested a panel to ensure all the things he's wired in function correctly.
- He assisted with the panel Factory Acceptance Test and record keeping.
A little bit about Sam
Which subjects are you most interested in school?
I am interested in Computer Science as I enjoy coding and learning about the technology and hardware/software found on/in computers. I also enjoy History and learning about past civilisations, laws, and other things that happened long ago.
What did you learn during your time at Swinton Technology?
I learned how to work with hardware and had to work and wire up panels and valves. I learned the parts and measurements they need to create other projects and learned the basics of coding on LUA, and found out how to work on AutoCAD
What did you enjoy the most about working at Swinton Technology?
I enjoyed all my experiences with the company, but overall, I did like wiring and testing the panels and working with AutoCAD the most, although it was hard. I also enjoyed coding on LUA, even though a lot of it was confusing to me.
How did you feel about the working environment?
It was excellent; all the people I met were amazing to me, I couldn't have asked for a better environment to be in.
Who did you work with, and did you enjoy working with them?
Most of my time working at Swinton was with a lady called Leonie who was amazing, I enjoyed her company, and she taught me lots about the company and work, 10/10. I also worked with Ben, who was good to me and helped me learn about LUA.
Could you see yourself working at Swinton Technology in the future?
Definitely! There were lots of fun but challenging activities, amazing people, and a great working environment. I enjoyed all the projects I was given when working at Swinton.
We are over the moon that Sam enjoyed his time with us, and we would most definitely welcome him on board with us in the future. Sam has tonnes of potential, and we really hope to see him again once he is finished with his studies.