- SCHOOL LEAVERS
HOME GROWN
HEROESKIRK ARNOLD
Creative Director at
Sourcefour Ltd
BA (Hons) Design
Home Grown Heroes
Joe Anderson
Electrical Engineer for BAE Systems
Level 4 HNC, Level 5
HND Electrical Engineering
When Joe Anderson started his post-16 education focusing on traditional A Levels, he quickly realised it wasn’t the right fit. Switching to the more vocational approach at the Grimsby Institute changed everything, setting him on a path that led to an exciting career with one of the world’s largest defence companies.
Joe explained, “As a kid, I always said I wanted to be a businessman like my dad, which is why I initially took my A Levels. However, after less than a week, I realised this wasn’t for me.”
Although as a child I would often take toys apart and put them back together or tried fixing broken appliances, I never would’ve expected to become an engineer in my future career.”
After his brief time studying A Levels, Joe looked to the Grimsby Institute website for inspiration regarding available courses. It was there he discovered the BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Electrical & Electronic Engineering – a decision that would transform his future.
Joe’s natural progression continued at Grimsby, where he completed his Level 4 HNC Electrical Engineering course, followed by his Level 5 HND in the same field. He then transferred to Sheffield Hallam to finish his BEng studies, building a solid foundation of both theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience.
“My educational background helped me in numerous ways. It gave me a great theoretical approach to engineering whilst also providing hands-on experiences – projects in the workshop, wiring breadboards and testing with oscilloscopes. I also learned how to simulate circuits using Multisim and MATLAB, which I use in my current role.”From university to a career in engineering
Joe’s hard work and dedication paid off when he secured a position as an Electrical Engineer with BAE Systems – one of the largest defence companies in the world. Having passed his two-year mark since joining in May 2023, Joe is thriving in his role.
“I’m really enjoying the interesting work and industry I’m fortunate enough to be a part of. The individual projects I undertook during my studies taught me project, risk and time management, which combined with the transferable technical skills learned from my courses, provided great preparation for starting my professional career.”
Joe credits much of his success to the support he received from his tutors and lecturers at the Grimsby Institute.
“A lot of what helped me with my career came from my tutors and lecturers themselves. They were an inspiration for me throughout my further and higher education, giving me life advice and words of wisdom regarding life choices and my career path.
The Grimsby Institute enabled me to excel at what I was good at and in turn allowed me to land a great professional career.”
What advice would you give others?
“I would say to anyone thinking about about studying at the Grimsby Institute or going to university as an option would be to research what courses they can offer you and what each course entails. Is this the sort of thing you are looking for? Find something you enjoy and that you’re good at and use this niche to find your course or trade.
For example, I enjoyed maths and was good at it, and engineering uses a lot of mathematical calculations, so this was a good fit. I believe the Grimsby Institute to be an extremely loving, diverse, versatile and welcoming campus and would always recommend studying here.”
“My advice for Year 10 students would be to start planning ahead of time, even if it’s just a rough plan. Look at your options from leaving school whether this be college, apprenticeship, or employment. Ask yourself what do you actually want and not just copy your friends. Find a niche that you’re good at and enjoy and use that to build your foundation for starting a career.
“Don’t give up and don’t lose hope. I am very happy I chose to study at the Grimsby Institute and have never looked back. This was the starting point and foundation of my professional career, and I do not think I would be where I am today without it.”
