MCS Engineering courses and careers conference

Yesterday, we welcomed aspiring engineers from MCS and other partner schools for an afternoon to explore careers in Engineering, university pathways and the exciting possibilities that engineering has to offer.

We were delighted to welcome an impressive line-up of speakers, beginning with keynote speaker Mrs Vibhu Bhandari, Director of Engineering at Eton, who brings more than 24 years of industrial experience. Her talk, ‘What really matters is your attitude and work ethic?‘ encouraged pupils to reflect on the qualities that underpin success in engineering. It was a thought provoking start to the conference, with plenty of questions from pupils helping to create a lively discussion.

MCS Head of Engineering and Careers, Dr David Roche, and MCS Director of Higher Education, Mr Peter McDonald, also shared practical guidance on engineering degree pathways, Year in Industry opportunities and writing strong personal statements.

One of the highlights of the afternoon was welcoming back three Old Waynfletes to share their experiences of studying engineering at university. Silvy Birch (OW 2024) from University of Edinburgh, Kaylan Parekh (OW 2025) from Imperial College London, and Honor Murray (OW 2025) from Engineering at Durham University, spoke openly about their course choices, undergraduate experience and the transition from school to higher education. Pupils were keen to ask questions and continue the conversation after the session.

Pupils also took part in interactive problem solving workshops led by Dr Olivier Lennon, MCS Physics Waynflete Academic, and Mrs Claire Lewis, MCS Head of Mathematics. Working through physics and mathematics challenges, they were encouraged to think critically, communicate their reasoning and develop confidence in tackling unfamiliar problems.

We were honoured to welcome Professor Constantin Coussios, Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Oxford, as our closing keynote speaker. His talk explored the role of engineering in advancing healthcare and research, providing a fitting conclusion to an engaging afternoon.

Despite taking place during the final week of term and on one of the busiest days in the school calendar, the conference attracted an excellent turnout. We hope pupils found the afternoon both valuable and inspiring, gaining first hand insights from industry professionals, academics and undergraduate engineers as they consider their own future pathways.