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Jamie Fairclough, BSc (Hons) Engineering Product Design, graduate success
Jamie's great placement experience and course with a hands-on approach to design have helped him secure a position at McLaren AutomotiveIf you were to ask most Engineering Product Design students what their dream job would entail, the odds are that it would involve working for a world-leading brand involved in an exciting, cutting-edge industry. For LSBU graduate Jamie Fairclough, that dream has become a reality.
“I’m a design engineer at McLaren Automotive,” says Jamie. “I work as part of a team designing bespoke tooling and inventory development for assembling high performance road vehicles. What I like about it most is that it covers all aspects of the vehicle, from body assembly and paint to engine installation and interior fitting. We get to study the whole vehicle to gain an understanding of how to build it accurately, easily and safely.”
Placement year
Jamie spent his placement year at Kesslers International, working as a design engineer for the retail furniture designer company. “While I was on my placement, I learned professional CAD skills for in-house manufacture, and I now use CAD to develop our ideas at McLaren,” he says. “I’ll model and assemble the design concept and verify its strength and integrity so that we can forward the electronic data to manufacture. Once that’s done, we can move in and start manufacture.”
The Engineering Product Design course at LSBU is one of only a few that still teach tactile making techniques alongside traditional lecturing. As a result, I learned a variety of creative techniques that drive the design process, helping me to bring my ideas to life.
Jamie Fairclough
Reputation of the course
Looking back at his decision to study at LSBU, Jamie admits taking a number of factors into consideration. “The reputation of the course from former students was important to me,” he says, “as was the fact that the course was accredited by the Institution of Engineering Designers. I also attended the design degree show before I started, where students demonstrate their final year projects, which gave me a great insight into the course and enabled me to appreciate the benefits that the mix of theoretical and hands-on teaching could have on my development as an engineering designer.”
Excellent location
Our location in the heart of London was important to Jamie, who found the proximity to major galleries, exhibitions and specialist knowledge resources added a great deal to his learning experience. “Being in the middle of London was a big advantage during my degree,” he says. “I was exposed to lots of different influences on my design, and it was also great to be part of such a diverse, multi-cultural modern city.”
The future
Looking to the future, Jamie hopes to become more involved with new projects at McLaren. “We’re growing exponentially right now, and there are lots of ideas and development right on the cutting edge of tech,” he enthuses. “It’s an exciting place to be, and I think my degree from LSBU – a university of opportunity – will absolutely help me fulfil that ambition.”
To see more of what Jamie is up to now, visit his website at jamiefairclough.com