Sample Engineering Personal Statement
My ambition to study for a degree in Mechanical Engineering is inspired by my need to gain a more thorough knowledge of the science which is at the centre of my working life and business interests. I am applying as a mature student who has been out of academic life for ten years, and since 2008 I have been running my own engineering company, Techmeister Ltd, one of the leading onsite replacement services for hoses and other site equipment. The success of the company, combined with my own deep interest in design and manufacturing, has led me to make plans to expand the business substantially and develop it into a multinational concern, and to achieve this I myself need to master many more of the principles and methods involved in Mechanical Engineering. I am interested in technologies which have an impact on people’s immediate lives, such as cars and other forms of transport, and always curious about how things work, so I am eager to learn about such things as computer aided design, the nature of materials and their capacity to withstand stress, and the design of power systems. I have a good knowledge of fluid mechanics and such systems through my business, and I regularly read Hydraulics and Pneumatics Magazine, but I am aware that there is much more for me to learn if I am to diversify my company. I am therefore keen to explore control systems and the analysis of failure in engines, environmental impact management, robotics, and the many other areas which govern the design and monitoring of the huge range of machines which make things move – from jet engines to artificial limbs. Indeed it is the variety of devices and technologies which makes the subject so satisfying for the designer and manufacturer.
My company at present deals with the maintenance and repair of site equipment, including hydraulic repairs, JCB repairs and plant fitting, and the philosophy of the company is to provide the engineering support reliably and quickly, since downtime of site machinery means delay and financial loss to customers. We also sell equipment such as power tools, industrial lubricants, hoses and fittings. The success of the business and the high standing in which we are regarded by the construction industry are at the heart of my belief that we can expand into other Mechanical Engineering fields, from energy to sports and recreation – which also offers me personally the chance to develop my own knowledge and satisfy my endless curiosity about mechanisms.
I know that an application at this stage in my professional career will present challenges. I have been away from the academic world, and no one else in my family has been to university. Maturity has its value, however, and I believe that my seriousness of purpose and clarity of vision, as well as my enthusiasm for the subject, mean that I can approach a degree course with confidence. I am keen too to set an example to my children of how the greatest achievements depend on knowledge and understanding before everything else. Standing back from the continuing operation of the company will mean that I must find a suitable candidate to run it in my absence, which is why I am applying for a deferred entry.
Outside my involvement in engineering I enjoy various other activities. I am captain and manager of a five-a-side team, organizing matches, kit and so on. My partner and I have a lot of fun at ballroom dancing, and I like to give something back to the community from which I make my living by working as a volunteer at the YMCA.
I am ambitious, strongly motivated and full of positive energy and determination. I enjoy working as part of a team, a necessity of my business life, but have the confidence to operate on my own and take responsibility for my own decisions. I work hard and am meticulous when it comes to detail. I am totally committed to my goal and believe I have the necessary qualities and experience to make a great success of a degree course.
We hope this sample Engineering Personal Statement has been useful.