This year, DFC welcomed three exceptional students: Alex, Jack and Sophie, who wanted to deepen their skills and understanding of fire engineering through hands-on experience. Here in Part 2 of our three-part blog, ‘Summer Placement Journey’, Sophie shared her experiences from her eight-week placement with us.

By: Sophie Ewen, 2024 Summer Placement, Leeds

“During my ten weeks at DFC, I have had the opportunity to work on a variety of projects with several different members of the team across all offices. Over the course of my internship, I have completed mark-ups and provided comments in drawing reviews. I have been involved with some structural fire engineering which developed my knowledge that I had previously learned at university. I was also pleasantly surprised with how quickly I became involved in writing design notes, fee proposals and fire strategies for various RIBA stages. These tasks were never daunting or overwhelming due to the support from everyone in the office. 

I got to attend site visits as I had never visited a site prior to my internship with DFC. I found the site visits very interesting as it allowed me to physically see the different stages of construction and materials that I had studied at university. 

One of the most memorable aspects of my time at DFC was the social engagement. Regular social events created a fun atmosphere and helped me to settle in by boosting the team connectivity. I was also encouraged to visit the other office locations which allowed me to meet the entire team and experience the working environment amongst the different offices. Within the Leeds office, there was a relaxed atmosphere which allowed me to feel very comfortable when asking team members for help. Even as a junior team member, I never felt disconnected from or unable to ask the senior team members.  

Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at DFC. They provided a welcoming environment that made it easy for me to learn and develop my skills and knowledge. I have gained invaluable experience within the fire engineering industry which will provide strong foundations for my future career as well as the remainder of my university studies.”

If you are interested in joining DFC for a summer placement, visit our Careers page. The application window is open now until December.