Work Experience at Wallace Whittle Summer 2025
WWith the summer holidays nearing a close across the UK, we took the opportunity to chat with some of the students who spent their summer with us for work experience.
We try to give our work experience students a feel for the different areas we cover in our offices, from electrical and mechanical engineering to sustainability. We can also offer placements in other areas of the business, such as finance and marketing.
Because many students are still figuring out which direction they want to take, having the chance to try out different roles can help them narrow down their interests or even discover something completely new. This year, we welcomed more students than ever across the business, particularly within our MEP and Sustainability teams.
This summer, we welcomed Euan and Ava to our Sustainability teams in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Euan had recently finished his degree in Geography and was keen to gain some hands-on experience before heading to Barcelona to begin his Master’s in Sustainability Management. Ava joined us after completing her degree in Ecological and Environmental Sciences and is preparing to start a Master’s in Energy, Sustainability, and Development at Durham University.
For both, the placement offered something more than just practical experience; it provided a fresh perspective. Euan, who was completely new to building services, found that working with tools like IES gave him insight into areas of the industry he hadn’t previously considered, and helped him imagine new possibilities for his future career. Ava had a similar takeaway, finding the experience valuable for learning skills that go beyond seminars, things you only pick up through doing the work.
Reflecting on her time in the Edinburgh office, Ava shared:
“The team in the Edinburgh office made me feel so welcome from day one, they took their time to answer all my questions (even the slightly silly ones) and helped me get to know everyone.”
Euan echoed this sentiment, highlighting how the experience helped him build confidence with new tools and concepts:
“Andy has been incredibly positive, and his guidance had been fantastic and very engaging through introducing me to the IES software, allowing me to begin assisting with projects and reports.”
Both students were mentored by Andy Chan, Principal Sustainability Consultant, and Jamie Renwick, Sustainability Consultant. Their combined support and guidance helped shape the students’ experience, speaking about the value of mentoring, Andy reflected:
“It’s a great opportunity to share industry knowledge while also gaining fresh perspectives. Watching them grow in confidence and apply their academic backgrounds to real-world challenges is what makes these placements so valuable, both for them and for us as a team.”
Jamie added his thoughts on the importance of nurturing student talent:
“It’s a fantastic opportunity to work closely with people at different points in their educational journey. I think that if we can help nurture students so that they can grow to present themselves confidently, the technical engineering knowledge will be easy to obtain.”
We also welcomed Mackenzie to our Glasgow office this summer, a final-year Product Design Engineering student from the University of Strathclyde. Throughout the placement, Mackenzie shadowed a number of engineers across different disciplines, including Electrical, Mechanical, and Public Health engineering. This broad exposure allowed him to understand how each discipline contributes to a project and how they work together to deliver rounded design solutions.
At Wallace Whittle, we like to tailor our placements to suit each student’s level of experience and background. Our training is designed to accommodate a wide range of skill levels, allowing students to build knowledge at their own pace. Depending on the duration of their placement, students may also contribute to live project work. For older students, particularly those in university or who have recently graduated, we encourage greater independence, giving them the chance to take on more responsibility. This not only helps build technical confidence but also offers valuable insight into the day-to-day workings of a professional office environment, something many students aren’t typically exposed to during their studies. It also helps ease the transition from academia to full-time employment.
By contributing to live MEP design work, Mackenzie developed a real appreciation for the level of detail and planning involved in building design. He shared:
“It has been brilliant to understand what goes on behind the scenes when designing a building and how much thought goes into every small detail. Whilst challenging, it has been rewarding working on real projects covering all aspects of MEP. I’m excited for the rest of my time here and grateful for all the knowledge which will no doubt help me in my final year of studies.”
We also spoke to one of Mackenzie’s main mentor, Mechanical Engineer David Brown, to hear from him regarding the mentoring process and how Mackenzie benefited from his time here:
“I think we sometimes forget that it can be intimidating to walk into an office environment for the first time, there’s etiquette and processes and emails to get acquainted with before you even start on any technical content. It’s great to see people, like Mackenzie, gain confidence about the office and begin to deliver work that they wouldn’t have been able to when they first walked in the door.”
For our younger students, we like to provide early-career staff with the opportunity to step into mentoring roles. This summer, we welcomed Callum and Brenden to Wallace Whittle, both recent school leavers who were weighing up their next steps, whether university or a degree apprenticeship. Their placement offered an introduction not only to the world of building services but also to working in a professional office environment.
Throughout their time with us, they gained a clearer understanding of what we do at Wallace Whittle and how sustainability is embedded across our projects. Supported by our Graduate Mechanical Engineer, Jack, and Degree Apprentice, Kelsey, both students were able to develop practical skills and grow in confidence as they explored the possibilities of a future career in engineering. Learning not only the basics but also starting to contribute to live projects and working on calculations.
Brenden shared:
“My time with Wallace Whittle has been very insightful, and the team has taught me lots about what services the company offers whilst being sustainable. The skills I have learned have been very useful in my path for the future, and I am hoping for a future in electrical engineering.”
We also spoke to Jack, one of their mentors, about the value of mentoring both for the students and for himself:
“Working alongside students provides a unique opportunity to gain insights into our processes, and how they could improve, that we ourselves may overlook. Sometimes, taking things back to first principles is exactly what’s needed to drive quality. And it’s always rewarding to see how students can take initial concepts and develop them into new working ideas.
Beyond the purely technical experience, I believe Wallace Whittle in particular can help develop an overarching mindset that prioritises efficiency and quality. Both are highly desirable qualities in any Engineer.”
Work experience placements offer students valuable insight into how engineering works in practice, helping to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world applications. By stepping into a professional environment, they gain exposure to live projects, new tools, and industry processes that bring their studies to life.
At Wallace Whittle, we’re so proud to support the next generation of engineers, whether they’re still at school, in further education, or about to begin their careers. Through tailored placements across our disciplines, we aim to inspire, guide, and equip students with the knowledge and confidence to take their next step.
If you’re interested in joining Wallace Whittle or learning more about our work experience and apprenticeship programs, please reach out to us at [email protected] or visit our dedicated webpage.
