Toby Isaacs MEng Electrical Engineering, 2016

Senior Engineer at Man Group PLC

“I chose to study at the University of Southampton because I was very impressed with the course and the facilities. The labs are state of the art and I thought it would be really interesting to be taught by academics that are involved in active research.

The facilities in the Electrical Engineering Department are world class and I had a dedicated work-space in the lab for my projects. The staff are always very helpful if you need a special component or get stuck on something

Practical challenges

“My Electrical Engineering course has really challenged me. I find practical projects where you actually build something very rewarding, especially when working in a group. There’s a real sense of achievement when something works for the first time, particularly if it wasn’t straightforward.

“In the first two years of the MEng Electrical Engineering, the wide scope of the course allowed me to find the areas I was interested in, which I then explored in more detail by doing larger projects in my third and fourth year. I have gained some very valuable learning skills and the ability to approach an unfamiliar problem with confidence.

Superb facilities

“The facilities in the Electrical Engineering Department are world class and I had a dedicated work-space in the lab for my projects. The staff are always very helpful if you need a special component or get stuck on something.

"A company called ATG sponsored me throughout my degree. They design control systems for Automations projects and I’ve interned there every summer, including working at Jaguar and Bentley factories. It’s been useful to apply concepts I learnt in my course, but the career skills I’ve learnt at work have improved the way I approach university projects. After University I'll be going to work as a controls engineer. This includes designing and commissioning the control systems for large automation projects. I’ll be working towards Chartered Engineers status.

Endless opportunities

“There are lots of opportunities to broaden your skill-set and your social life at the University. I’ve been an active member of the Stage Technicians’ Society where I worked on the sound for theatre and musical productions. I also helped a friend’s start-up as a software engineer and we’re looking at business opportunities for the future.

“I would definitely recommend Southampton for both learning and living. It’s a fun city with a vibrant student population. The University has societies in pretty much anything you’d want to do, so you won’t be bored!"