Profile
Samantha Maysey
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About Me:
I live with my 3 year old dog, Rhea 🐶. When I am not working or studying, I am helping my dad with building work or going on track days and driving fast cars 🏎️.
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I love hanging out and gaming with my friends on the weekend. I am a STEM ambassador and try to volunteer as much time as I can. I also enjoy reading and hiking. I plan on hiking Snowdon in the new year. I have always been interested in cars as I was always around my dad, who is a massive petrol head. This lead me to taking part in track days at tracks such as Brandshatch, Goodwood and even Zandvoort. Finally, I also enjoy fashion and I am always shopping for new outfits.
I grew up with 2 older sisters, and we all have different interests and hobbies. When I was 6, I joined a dance group which I was apart of for 6 years before I moved over to play football. I played midfield and defence before training as a goalkeeper from the age of 14 upwards.
I have always loved math and science since I was a kid. So, when I left school I went straight to working with my dad on the building site, helping and learning the different trades (bricklaying, carpentry and more). Through working with my dad, I discovered Ricardo, the company I currently have an apprenticeship at. While working at Ricardo, I realised I loved the engineering industry and hope to pursue a degree in engineering.
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My pronouns are:
She/her
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My Work:
I am an apprentice technician who gets to work on engines, machinery, electrical equipment and military vehicles.
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As an apprentice, I get to move departments every 6 months. So far I have been in fabrication which means I get to build different parts out of any material. I get to weld, cut and bend metal to make brackets or guards for the engine.
I have also been in instrumentation which means I made electrical circuits and measuring devices, which we call thermocouples. I also got to wire circuits for the battery in a car.
Another department was engine build which is where I got to build prototype fuel cells and engines. This was one of my favourite departments as I also got to work on high-voltage batteries and expand my knowledge on engines.
Finally, my favourite department was working in defence. This is where I got to help build and upgrade military vehicles. I even got to go to 2 military bases to help upgrade the vehicles that were on their site.
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My Typical Day:
I wake up at 5:30 and take my dog for a walk before going to work for 8am. I complete my daily machinery checks and complete the tasks my manager has given me. I have lunch with my friends before going back to work again. I go home at 4pm.
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I wake up at 5:30 and get ready. I then take my dog for a walk before going to work for 8am. My drive into work takes an hour which means I get to listen to my music. In my current department, I sample and check the water and cutting fluid from our machines to check for any diseases or bacteria. These checks normally take me around 2-3 hours. After these checks, I will be given a task such as making a pipe run for an airline or fixing pumps and motors on the machinery. I then have lunch at 1pm with my friends where we get to catch up about our day. Then I am back to work with the task I have been given for the day. Sometimes I stay late to work overtime if a job needs completing quickly.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
If I won the prize money, I would find a local school that want to start a STEM club but do not have the funds to supply any of the equipment. I would have loved to be apart of a STEM club when I was younger and hope to get these schools the funding to set up the clubs. I would also be happy to help run this club and try to educate children on my job and careers that are similar.
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Education:
I went to St Catherine’s Primary School where I was apart of a math club as it was my favourite subject.
My secondary school was Chatsmore Catholic High School. I excelled in math, computing and science. My teachers helped push me as they would encourage me to go onto more difficult subjects. They entered me into math competitions and I even got selected to enroll on a university level math course at Sussex University when I was in year 8.
These schools helped me realise that I liked math and science and would enjoy a career that included either of the subjects.
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Qualifications:
I have 9 GCSEs: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math, English Literature, English Language, RE, Photography and Spanish. I achieved all 7s and an 8 in math.
I am now studying to gain my Level 3 in Advance Manufacturing Engineering which I have finished earlier. This allows me to start my Level 4 a year earlier than expected.
These qualifications have helped me gain my apprenticeship and to further my knowledge in engineering. My level 4 can lead me onto gaining a Masters degree in any type of engineering.
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Work History:
My very first job was when I was 14, I would help my mum, who is a dog groomer. I would bath and dry the dogs.
As my last year of secondary school was during Covid, I managed to get a job working with my dad during the day and then completing my school work in the evening. Once I had finished school, I got a full time job with my dad on the building site. I started this job when I was 16 and left when I was 18. I would still be working in the construction industry but my dad got a job in the Isle of Wight and I could not move over there with my dog.
I worked in a cafe for 6 months as I waited to see if I got the apprenticeship working at Ricardo. This was fun as I liked the people I worked with and the customers were all usually very friendly. It taught me many skills such as time management and communication. I was a very shy kid growing up and this made me come out of my shell.
Finally, I got the apprenticeship at Ricardo and I am now starting my 3rd year with them this year. I have learnt a lot moving around the departments and have found my passion for engineering. My colleagues and mentors have helped me grow and are always helpful when it comes to answering questions that I have about the work.
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Current Job:
I have been in my apprenticeship for 3 years now. The final year of my college involves a project where I get to design and build a stand to hold a container while it is being filled up with liquid nitrogen.
I am learning a lot at this current job as I am able to get stuck in with the projects that are coming into the departments. I work 4 days a week and go to college1 day a week. The things I learn at college, such as electronic circuit design, CAD (a 3D model app which we use to design products), math and mechanical principles, help with my everyday job. Mechanical principles are problems that can be solved using math such as the length of beam needed to hold a heavy object. I also learnt how to use machines such as a lathe and a mill.
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Employer:
Ricardo PLC has many departments within the company. I work in the Automotive and Industry section. They have been around for over 100 years and the founder Sir Harry Ricardo was the inventor of one of the first tank engines that did not produce a lot of smoke. Pretty cool right?
Nowadays, Ricardo works on projects such as prototype (an early sample or concept design) engines, fuel cells, vehicles and even boats. We also have another department that is on our site. They work on the military vehicles and help build and upgrade their vehicles.
Here is the website for Ricardo which shows some of the projects and what they do…
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Dog-loving engineer
What did you want to be after you left school?
An electrician
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Sometimes
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
Mechanic or builder
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Fleetwood Mac
What's your favourite food?
Mango
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
Making my family and I rich, for dogs to live as long as us and to have an animal sanctuary.
Tell us a joke.
What do you call a dinosaur with no eyes? Doyouthinkhesaurus
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