Building a future in engineering: Jonathan’s hands-on journey at Solent

For final-year BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering student Jonathan Hutchins, that journey has been shaped by hands-on engineering projects, industry recognition, and award-winning work that has already opened up exciting career opportunities.

Jonathan first discovered Solent at an open day, where the engineering facilities immediately stood out – in particular the 3D printing technology. “Having a personal interest in additive manufacturing, I was excited to see how many top-of-the-line machines the university had available,” Jonathan said, “both in FDM (fusion deposition modelling), and SLA (stereolithography) formats.”

That access to industry-standard equipment became a key part of his learning experience throughout the course. “During my time at the university, I have been able to use and apply all the exciting new technology to my studies and final project, gaining hands-on experience to support the materials engineering theory taught in class.”

For Jonathan, another major advantage of studying at Solent was the supportive learning environment and close contact with lecturers. “The small number of students per class, unlike many other universities, meant that I got to spend a great deal of time with my tutors, receiving one-to-one feedback on all my work, ensuring the best outcomes. Along with the in-person teaching, online resources, and one-to-one feedback, the tutors have motivated me to push myself to complete many extracurricular activities.”

Those opportunities included professional certifications, engineering competitions and industry showcase events that helped Jonathan build both confidence and practical experience. “Each of these activities added value to my living CV, “Jonathan said, “and gave me the practice-led experience and confidence to be career ready.”

Jonathan’s achievements include winning the 2025 TecQuipment student competition world final, for producing a video demonstrating tensile testing equipment, as well as receiving an award in the 2026 IMechE Advanced Design Challenge alongside fellow students Iain Charlton-Brown and Luke Dower, for their pipe-climbing robot project.

He also achieved success at SolentX 2026, winning the individual track for a video exploring his final project on materials testing and characterisation of FDM 3D printed non-pneumatic tyres, while his team also won the group track for again showcasing the development of their pipe-climbing robot.

For Jonathan, these experiences helped develop valuable communication, presentation and technical skills alongside his engineering knowledge.

“Working on the SolentX video submission required me to develop my video editing skills and presentation skills,” Jonathan said, “as the aim was to effectively demonstrate my highly technically detailed engineering project to a wider audience.”

A key part of the career-ready revolution is giving students the opportunity to apply their learning to real industry challenges, and Jonathan experienced this first-hand through live briefs and collaborative projects.

“In the Continuous Improvement module, I worked with a group of students to study a manufacturing process at a company which produces electrical testing equipment.”

Working directly with an external company helped bring classroom theory into a real-world setting, whilst also developing the professional skills needed within the engineering industries.

“The live brief made the application of the theory exciting and motivating,” said Jonathan, “and working with the company taught us how to professionally assess and present solutions to real problems.”

During his final year, guest lectures and industry-led projects provided valuable insight into the sector and what employers are looking for. “Hearing from industry professionals, advice and what they look for in students, allowed me to tailor my professional development and living CV to maximise my employability.”

Jonathan also completed a CAD examination based on a live brief delivered by an industry professional. “It made the experience immersive and provided an early insight into the work of a mechanical engineer.”

His dedication and willingness to embrace every opportunity has already led to a significant career milestone before even graduating.

Jonathan said: “From the experience built during my time at the university, along with my efforts to prove my abilities in assessments and extracurricular competitions, I received an offer of employment as an Advanced Manufacturing and Composites Technician Instructor for the university. This highlights that the university invests in the talent which it fosters.”

Alongside this role, Jonathan is also looking ahead to future ambitions within automotive and motorsport engineering, with a long-term goal of achieving chartered engineer status. “One of my long-term ambitions is to achieve chartered engineer status, progress for which has been accelerated by the mechanical engineering degree being IET accredited.”

Reflecting on his experience at Solent, Jonathan believes one lesson has shaped his success more than anything else. By embracing challenges, even when he felt outside his comfort zone, Jonathan discovered opportunities that helped shape his future career.

“Across all curricular and extracurricular activities, I committed to ‘giving it the best go’ even in cases where I was not initially confident.” That attitude, combined with support from tutors and industry-focused learning, helped him grow both personally and professionally.

“Overall, I could not have asked for a more supportive learning environment. I highly recommend the Mechanical Engineering BEng (Hons) course at Southampton Solent University.”

Jonathan’s story reflects what the career-ready revolution is all about: developing industry-ready graduates through practical experience, professional connections, and the confidence to succeed in a competitive sector.

Find out more about our engineering courses here: https://www.solent.ac.uk/subjects/engineering