Events
You said you were involved in Formula Student for three years straight when you were at Exeter. What was your experience and how did your role on your team evolve each year?
That’s right; I first got involved with Formula Student in my 2nd year and then carried on right until my final year. In the first year, I didn't really have any of the design responsibility or seniority within my team. Having said that, it was still a great opportunity to get into the workshop and onto the machines. I honestly think I learned more about engineering design by taking part in Formula Student than I did in my actual degree! It’s all well and good studying theoretical concepts but when you have to produce something real you need to consider the real-life constraints; for example, the limitations of machinery; how am I going to hold a component safely whilst providing appropriate reference and space for the right cutter? Learning these nuances of design was amazing for me and I really enjoyed getting my hands dirty in the workshop.
In my 3rd year, I was able to take on more responsibility in guiding the project. At Exeter, Formula Student runs as a complement to your studies rather than as a standalone society like at some other universities. This meant that I was increasingly involved with design work at this stage, owning my own areas of the car. I was also able to support the 4th year projects, helping guide the theoretical projects to pull out tangible components. As I oversaw design, I spent a lot of time in the workshop and got a huge amount of vocational engineering experience, which helped me understand the limitations of the machinery I had in front of me.
In my final year of university and my 3rd year taking part in Formula Student, I was lucky enough to oversee the whole project from a management perspective. This taught me a lot about structure and team planning; I had to oversee lots of different business functions, including all the finances, marketing plans and ideas, social media, advertising, engagement, business development, design and manufacturing. Getting to oversee such a huge range of functions and understanding how they fit together was amazing.
You joined Newton in February 2019; what attracted you to Newton and has it lived up to expectations?
Personally, I really enjoyed engineering design when I was studying and I still do find the science and technology behind it incredibly exciting and interesting. However, when I took on the Project Manager role on my Formula Student project I realised that I’m motivated by variety and challenge rather than a narrow focus. I also wanted to work for a company that was fast-paced and different. I didn't apply to any other management consultancies; Newton was the only one I considered because it offered the level of variety I was looking for. And it’s certainly lived up to my expectations: I’m less than half a year in and I’ve already worked with a major supermarket on how they should price fruit and now I’m working on a different project in local government to improve social care pathways. For me, the work at Newton is always fresh and exciting because you have to use your head to understand a new system every few months. The level of responsibility Newton gives you from day one also appealed to me. Having spent quite a lot of time as a Project Manager with Formula Student in my final year managing people, deadlines and funding meetings, I didn't like the idea of taking a job where I had to start from scratch again without much influence or ownership.
You mention parallels between working as a Project Manager on Formula Student at Exeter and working as a consultant at Newton. What are the main things you learned from the project that have helped you in your role?
For me, the main things have been having oversight of a project in its entirety and seeing how different elements fit together. When you’re doing Formula Student, you realise that so many things depend on other people's work streams; for example, if you’re responsible for the suspension, you won't be able to do this without understanding the power train engine, chassis design and how to apply everything you want to do within the Formula Student rules. It definitely taught me the importance of understanding a little bit about other work that people are doing. It’s similar at Newton, as seeing the big picture and interconnection between teams is a huge part of our projects. I see it all the time on my current project in healthcare, where it’s vital to understand the perspectives of both the care providers and the service users as well as why and how they link to one another. Formula Student helped me to start developing that skill of breaking down and understanding interdependencies.
What advice do you have for anyone who’s trying to decide if they want to apply for Newton next year? Do you have any tips for going through the application process?
If you’re still trying to decide whether to apply, it is really important to ask yourself: is Newton right for you? Make sure you look at the information available on the graduate section of the website and try and speak to people on-campus if you get chance because all the information you need is right there! It is a challenging role but there are huge rewards that come with working for Newton. I know it sounds like a cliché, but everyone seems to really get on and it does feel like that when you’re on site or at a company event. Even though you regularly switch project teams, to me it never feels like you’re an outsider trying to join a well-established group of friends. You should also think about what you're hoping to get out of the role. For me, that's being able to push myself in lots of different settings.
If you’ve already decided that Newton has the right role for you, my main piece of advice would be: be yourself. It’s something that everyone always says, and I know it can be really hard but the Newton selection process is designed around getting to know you. Particularly when it comes to selection days and interviews, tasks will mimic different situations to see if you'll be the right fit for the role. Don't do what you think Newton want to see because it’s unhelpful to both yourself and future teams. Also, it may be a counterintuitive point but try as hard as you can beforehand to relax as this will help both sides see if you’re going to be the right fit to work, live and spend a lot of time with people in the business. Remember, any selection process is two-way and you need to take the time to figure out if they're right for you too.
As a sponsor of this year's competition, make sure you take the time to visit Newton at their stand at the Silverstone Paddock for a refreshment break and the chance to chat about their current and upcoming graduate opportunities!
About Newton:
We’re a team of the brightest and most curious minds with a fundamental belief that every organisation can be better. We crack some of the toughest business and public-sector challenges of the day, by pinpointing and implementing the changes that will make the biggest difference, with roughly 70% of employees coming from a science or engineering background. We never start out assuming we know the answer, but we’re always certain we’ll find it and see it through to the finish. We do this by uncovering the most important data, hiring people who live and breathe delivering results, and embedding into client organisations the solutions they need to thrive on any challenge in the future. We demand better in everything we do. We think you should too. Visit www.NewtonGraduates.Careers