Isabel’s Year In Industry at Rolls-Royce

Isabel’s Year In Industry at Rolls-Royce

Considering a placement year? Hear what our students had to say.

Where were you located for your placement and what work/projects were you involved with?

I spent my Year in Industry at Rolls-Royce, with rotational placements across two Project Teams. Working as a Lifecycle Engineer during my initial 6-months rotation, I performed life-sample engine assessments and investigated operational issues from in-service aircraft engines. I have broadened my understanding of engine operation, safety and emerging technologies.

After six months, I then joined the Combustion, Turbines and Exhausts Team as a Design Engineer, studying the feasibility of transitioning from a traditional casting technique to Additive Layer Manufacturing for Nozzle Guide Vanes used in gas turbine engines. I used programming scripts to make modifications to the cooling system, compiled a business case and presented technical reviews to subject matter experts.

Alongside my project commitments, I also had the opportunity to co-lead an interactive propulsion outreach workshop in a local school with the Chief Design Engineer.

How has the placement benefited you and what have you learnt?

This placement experience, along with completing my fourth-year dissertation on hydrogen-powered aircraft fuel tank designs and gaining hands-on experience during a 2024 summer internship working with hydrogen and other low-carbon fuels for transport applications, has fueled my enthusiasm for exploring decarbonisation technologies  

I have recently received the RAEng Engineering Leaders Scholarship, and plan to use this funding to attend conferences around the latest developments in energy transitions, learning from industry experts about the challenges and innovations shaping the future. Given the relevance of these issues globally, I am keen to pursue an overseas internship and explore other development opportunities going forward. 

Be proactive and embrace every learning opportunity – ask questions as everyone in the company will always be willing to help. Most importantly, enjoy the experience as it is a great chance to develop both your technical and soft skills.