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Bronte Latham

Mechanical Engineering

Why did you choose Harper Adams – and what stood out once you arrived?

Harper offered the most practical course I could find — and the smaller cohort meant I wouldn’t just be a number. I wanted to be somewhere I could build good relationships with lecturers and staff, and that’s exactly what I found.

From the very start, there was collaboration across the engineering courses. We were encouraged to work together to solve real-world challenges, which gave us the kind of experience that’s genuinely useful on placement.

What really stood out when I arrived was how friendly everyone was. Within the first few weeks, lecturers already knew our names — and something about each of us. That made it so much easier to ask for help or support when I needed it.

What was next for you Bronte, where did ‘here’ take you?

Well, ‘here’ for me is Sellafield Ltd. I’m currently working as a Construction Engineering Graduate, supporting the remediation and clean-up of both nuclear and non-nuclear facilities across the site. That includes the safe and secure storage of special nuclear materials and retrieving nuclear waste from legacy ponds and silos for transfer to modern storage facilities.

It’s a role that draws on everything I learned during my degree — not just the technical knowledge, but also the people skills too. Managing stakeholders and working with cross-functional teams is a big part of the job, and modules like Leadership and People Management and Management of New Product Development helped build that foundation, even if indirectly.

I hope to stay within the nuclear construction industry and keep building my expertise. My long-term aim is influencing major project decisions in the future; I can’t wait.

That’s fascinating! So, what would you say to someone who’s unsure if Harper Adams is right for them?

My main point would be to say, you don’t need to have a background in agriculture — and you don’t need to plan on working in agriculture after you graduate either. Harper is so much more than that!

Here, the university teaches you how to problem-solve in real-world contexts. It’s about developing practical, transferable skills that open doors in a wide range of industries. So even if your path looks different, you’ll come away with experience and knowledge that’s relevant and really valuable.