At Engineering at Warwick we have fantastic opportunities to work on vacation projects in the UK and abroad. They are great life experiences and enhance your CV. These examples are from our current engineering students. What I did last summer! Sarah Chen – Technical and Social Aspects of Hydro- power Generation in Rural Uganda An amazing life changing trip Six students went to Uganda to help work on a micro hydropower scheme. Electricity is highly sought after by people in rural areas because it facilitates after dark study by school children and encourages economic growth and development in the area. The project achieved a 47% increase in power. During our time in Uganda we have all learnt a vast amount which has not been limited to purely technical skills. We had little prior knowledge about micro-hydropower before we began, and were not entirely sure the problems we would be faced with when we set out. This project was a great way to learn how to tackle problems using materials which could be locally sourced, challenging us to use novel solutions. Living within the communities themselves was great for the project in becoming part of the community and in terms of access to the project. It was however difficult being the centre of attention for a full eight weeks, as well as lack of access to running water and washing facilities. We learnt much about the political and social situation in the Ugandan communities that we were living in. Meeting the local Minister for Energy An impromptu A Level session! Will the turbine fit in the powerhouse? Robert Jones - Project leader (Mott MacDonald Bentley, Pont Robert, Wales) The placement involved the day to day development of the project, which not only included design work, but also communication with contractors such as land agents and framework suppliers, cost considerations via liaisons with company quantity surveyors and subcontractors and client communication with Severn Trent Water. Specific design work included hydraulics for pipes and a rising main, mechanical calculations for pump sizing and structural design of reinforcement for concrete base slabs and flotation calculations for sunken structures. The placement gave me an understanding about how work within in the industry is operated. It also helped to develop my technical and communication skills and demonstrated the importance of being able to work within a group. Neil Forbes – ISO accreditation at Conductix-Wampfler Based in Manchester I was involved in the process of achieving accreditation for ISO 14001, an international standard recognising Environmental Management… and they sponsored my 3rd year project too! This has provided the opportunity to apply the research project to an industrial setting, which is something that I feel, will give my work an additional dimension. The University has been very supportive and accommodating in this process. Industrial experience is something I would highly recommend. By spending time out in the ‘real world’, important life skills are gained. I have found that working in Industry has helped me to focus on my studies.