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. Curious about how their experiences shaped their perspectives? Find out more in our three-part blog, ‘Summer Placement Journey’.

By: Alex Hutchinson, 2024 Summer Placement, Manchester

“I firmly believe that continuous development is one of the best ways to grow as a person, whether through building new relationships, acquiring new skills, or expanding one’s knowledge. Few experiences could rival my time at DFC in terms of personal and professional growth over the past two months.

As someone with a background in mechanical engineering rather than fire engineering, I was initially uncertain about what to expect at DFC. I questioned whether I would be able to keep up with the workload or even understand the information I would be working with. However, from day one, the team made me feel welcome. They were always willing to answer any questions I had. Being able to converse with anyone within the team, regardless of seniority, along with the supportive and relaxed working environment, allowed me to quickly absorb invaluable knowledge and quickly settle in.

From the get-go, I was encouraged to be vocal about my goals for the internship and express interest in any projects I wanted to be involved in. There was always someone available to help. I was given responsibilities across a variety of projects, allowing me to gain experience in numerous areas of fire engineering, including creating fire strategies, completing mark-up, drafting fee proposals, and working with PAS 9980 assessments.

The highlight of my two months with DFC was attending a continuing professional development (CPD) event hosted at the University of Central Lancashire. At this CPD event, we participated in several experiments, allowing us to better understand and visualise fire behaviour in different scenarios. Some of the practical exercises included using a cone calorimeter on acrylic, demonstrating the trench effect using cardboard, simulating flashovers in a fire box, and observing gas explosions. Seeing the various behaviours of fire in different contexts firsthand underscored the immense significance within fire engineering.

DFC has been nothing but supportive since I joined their team during my two months placement. Having met many amazing people and being part of numerous interesting projects has allowed me to develop personally and professionally, for which I am immensely grateful.”

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