After a year in industry supporting Productiv’s manufacturing team, Bournemouth University student David Clucas has taken home the University’s Science and Technology Faculty placement prize for his time here.

The 21-year-old was particularly commended for becoming an ‘integral part of the manufacturing team’ and has since been offered a graduate role upon completion of his design engineering degree next June.

“Talk of a ‘skills gap’ has been in the news a lot recently, so it’s great to see students like David breaking through the negativity and demonstrating the true value they can bring to UK engineering when they are given the support and the opportunities they need,” said Productiv managing director Anand Lakhani.

“From day one, David was an integral part of the team, introducing new processes, contributing to meetings and overseeing the development of new, clean technologies. We were so impressed with his performance that we’ve offered him a position as one of Productiv’s graduate engineers as soon as he completes his degree.”

Bournemouth University’s placement competition is held each year, with six prizes per department and an overall faculty winner.

“From day one, David introduced new processes, contributed to meetings and oversaw the development of new, clean technologies.”

Anand Lakhani, managing director, Productiv

“Placements are a critical part of a student’s course,” explained Andy Blackburn, placement development adviser for the Faculty of Science & Technology at Bournemouth University. “They allow students to put theory into practice, try new roles, and develop ‘soft skills’ and other life skills that they will need after graduation.”

“David was able to demonstrate how he’d applied his course, but also how he’d added value to Productiv during his time there.

“In addition to working on numerous new products for Productiv, he also created his own project office, demonstrating the advanced engineering skills, leadership, maturity and tenacity needed to get the most out of his placement.”

Here’s what David had to say:

“A placement at Productiv ticked all the boxes. Being a smaller company, it had more opportunities for graduates and students to get involved and feel like a part of the team.

“These opportunities will become even more important as the older generation retires. I’d advise aspiring engineers to network and take advantage of as many placement opportunities as they can, regardless of whether they choose to do a degree or an apprenticeship.”

If you’re looking to developing your skills in engineering, or gain some valuable work experience, take a look at Productiv’s latest opportunities for students and graduates here.

Want to hear more about David’s time at Productiv? Check out his blog here.