Martin Palmer

Project Engineer at NBS Projects

Graduated in 2017

Martin Palmer studied an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering with us. Martin was an active member of the Engineering department participating in societies such as Engineers Without Borders and BCU Racing Society. We caught up with Martin to see where his degree has taken him since graduating.

What course did you choose to study and why?

I chose to study Mechanical Engineering due to the diversity of the course content and the wealth of opportunities available for industrial placements.

Why did you choose BCU?

BCU offered a learning and teaching environment which suited my style of learning. Lots of open working spaces for individual study time, group and shared revision activities before exams. I experienced plenty of practical and ‘hands-on’ learning to develop my academic knowledge to help solve real-world problems.

When you started university, did you know what you wanted to do as a career?

Not at all! One of the benefits of choosing a degree which offered a good balance between classroom, workshop and industrial experience, meant I was prepared to take on positions which interested me.

Was there a particular module that sparked an interest in a topic you’d never considered before?

Second year thermodynamics introduced me to Tribology, which is the study of friction and wear on surfaces. This influenced my decision to design a modular vertical axis wind turbine for my Final Year Project.

What is your current job role?

After graduating I set up my own Project Engineering business which provides services to local and continental European based automotive manufacturers.

What is the most challenging aspect of your current role?

Being such a small team means we are all constantly learning and developing, trying to stay ahead of the competition whilst balancing typical day-to-day tasks.

What main skill from your university days have you taken with you through your life?

Time management and interpersonal skills. The relationships you build with staff and other students is critical in developing your communication and idea-sharing abilities. It is no good having a great new design for something if you cannot share it with the team who has to produce or market it.

How has your life changed since you have graduated?

Since graduating I have set up my own company and been able to travel the world with work; three years of hard work really paid off.