Betting on industry exposure

By Swathi Imayakumar | Loughborough, UK

Published: 15th September 2014 06:00 AM

I was born and brought up in Chennai and since my school days, I have been passionate about vehicles. I reckon it was because my father and grandfather worked in similar fields. I wanted to pursue my passion academically, which is why I chose Automotive Engineering at Anna University, Tiruchy. It was a tough decision, as very few female candidates opted for the course. I was inducted into the wonderful world of automotives during my graduation days and, chasing my dreams, I ended up getting a university rank. The proudest moment for me was when I won a Concept Car Challenge at National Institute of Technology, Tiruchy; it instilled the faith in me that this was indeed the path for me. After an internship at Renault-Nissan that gave me much-needed industry exposure, I knew that I had found my calling. To cement my knowledge and widen the scope of opportunities, I chose to specialise in the field with an MSc.

The next step was choosing a university that complied with my course requirements; United Kingdom seemed like a good choice after rummaging through several websites and prospectuses. Loughborough University seemed like a promising option due to its state-of-the-art facilities, excellent faculty and repute in the Automotive Engineering faculties. More than the rankings, the University has good student reviews and was recently voted the best in student experience by Times Higher Education for six years in a row. The modules and course content surpassed my expectations. I was interested in hybrid vehicles and had planned to study more on the lines of Electrical Engineering for the same. Being in a University town that hosts a lot of institutes, it offered a good chance to experience student life. It’s been over 10 months now and I admit the student life experience here has been the best!

Loughborough University is the best choice for anyone looking to pursue Engineering. As an Automotive Systems Engineering student, I had the opportunity to attend many guest lectures by professionals from Jaguar Land Rover. These lectures were a reality check and showed us the industry workings beyond what was taught in books.

The course content is designed to mimic actual industrial work and students had the freedom to choose their modules and research topics. I think this is what sets Loughborough University apart from others. Through the course I have realised the importance of industrial exposure and will be working full time, after the course to enhance that knowledge.

However, my long-term goal is to research about vehicles of the future and pursue a doctorate investigating the technologies that hold the key to the current energy crisis.

The University has a vibrant atmosphere and is a melting pot of various cultures. One of the best assets of Loughborough University is the warm welcome it extends to its freshers. When I landed in the UK, there were people ready to welcome us at Heathrow Airport; the whole University was buzzing with activities in the initial weeks, people were interacting with each other and so on.

During the first few days, the various student societies hosted ice breaking sessions for freshers. They made me feel right at home and I was sure that I had chosen the right place to study. The University is also famous for its sports facilities. Every night the students’ union is abuzz with people. Like they say, work while you work and play while you play. The Union hosts regular events throughout the semester.

Located in the midlands of England, Loughborough enjoys good weather for most part of the year. And for homesick Indian students, Leicester (a town with a large Indian population, which has several Indian eateries) is close by and one can enjoy the thrill of being abroad without spending as much.

— edex@newindianexpress.com