By: Malachi Fearnhead, Apprentice

It has been an enriching 6 months since I embarked on my 4-year journey to become a Graduate Fire Engineer at Design Fire Consultants (DFC). During this time, I have been based in the bustling Manchester office while pursuing my studies at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in Preston.

Balancing work responsibilities and academic commitments as a young apprentice has been challenging, however I have learnt a lot in this time and the support from the DFC team has made this journey both rewarding and fulfilling. The stimulating learning environment at DFC, coupled with the opportunity to collaborate with many brilliant minds, has significantly contributed to my professional growth.

Learning new skills:

In my capacity as an apprentice/under-graduate, I have been engaged in a diverse range of tasks that have provided valuable insights and hands-on experience, these are;

• Hob Radiation Analysis
• Means of Escape Assessments
• External Wall inspections / reports
• Site Visits
• Attending various CPD events

My experience also extends to witnessing the on-site remediation of an external wall system. This element is becoming increasingly critical in light of the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy in 2017. Sadly, many buildings throughout the UK still utilise the same or similar cladding materials, posing a significant fire safety risk and causing uncertainty amongst occupants of these buildings. These remediation efforts aim to substantially reduce potential dangers, ultimately ensuring the safety and well-being of building occupants.

Images above: Site visit – Greenhaus, Salford

Site visits:

One of my most memorable site visits was a visit to the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral alongside my colleagues, where I was captivated by the unique architecture of the building, particularly the way it utilises natural light. This was definitely a refreshing departure from the typical residential buildings in Manchester. It has been great to experience a variety of projects so early on in my career.

Images above: Site visit – Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, Liverpool

Social:

DFC champions collaboration across its offices. They actively encourage visits between different locations; Leeds, London, Manchester and Sheffield. I took advantage of this by visiting both the Leeds and London teams to meet with other DFC colleagues there. These interactions have been invaluable, leading me to collaborate with them on projects. This has further expanded my experience and enabled me to grow my professional network.

Notably, trips to other offices have also given me the chance to do some sightseeing, exploring iconic landmarks and some attractions in London with the DFC team (after work, of course!). During my London trip, I visited The London Eye, Buckingham Palace, and the Christmas markets. I really enjoyed this experience, it was good to spend time outside of work getting to know my new colleagues.

DFC’s bustling social calendar keeps things interesting. I have already participated in a couple of events, with the Christmas party in York being my favourite so far. It was a fantastic opportunity to meet the whole team. The day kicked off with a fun and engaging cookery competition at The Grand’s Cookery School. While I’m definitely a kitchen novice, working alongside my colleagues definitely helped us create some great dishes. The cookery session was followed by a festive Christmas quiz and some tasty tapas in the evening.

Image above: Team’s cookery session in York

Onward:

With April exams looming, I’m laser-focused on getting through them. Passing my first year will be a huge milestone in my career. After my exams, I have something to look forward to as DFC is celebrating the relocation/opening of our new Leeds office with a social – fingers crossed the weather doesn’t spoil our BBQ plans.