Profile
Charlie Boswell
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About Me:
I’m a degree apprentice studying electronics and computing. I love music, and my first ever electronics project was trying to build my own set of speakers.
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At 27 years old, I got into engineering a bit later than a lot of my friends. I got a degree in Music Technology as soon as I finished college, and while it was an interesting course I enjoyed learning about how speakers and amplifiers work most of all. I was attracted to a career in STEM because there are so many fun jobs available… It’s easy to find a job doing something that you think is interesting!
Degree apprenticeships are a good way to get experience while getting a free university education. It’s exactly what I needed, because I could make up for lots of lost time. Even though I started a little late, I will graduate with 5 years of valuable experience. I chose to study electronics and computing because I think the way that simple electronic components can come together to make something as magic as a computer is really awesome.
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My pronouns are:
He / Him
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I work in Control and Data Acquisition. That means I build and maintain sensors to go in the reactor, that tell us some useful information about what is happening inside. Because reactions can happen very quickly, the machine needs to make some decisions automatically, using information from these sensors – there is no time to push buttons and pull levers!
I spend one day a week at university, studying towards my degree.
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My Typical Day:
I wake up at 7 and eat some porridge, then cycle into work for 8:15. I spend some days writing code in my office, and some days in an electronics lab taking apart sensors to check if they are broken.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
I would donate it to free education charities such as the Khan academy, that helped me to retrain after I decided that I wanted a STEM career
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Education:
Wellington School, Richard Huish College and Staffordshire University (and now University of the West of Egland)
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Work History:
My first job was at a checkout in Tesco, I helped to set up lighting and audio rigs at music festivals, I was a machine operator in a factory, I taught English in China, and now I work in a fusion reactor! I’ve done all sorts, really.
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Current Job:
Electronics and computing degree apprentice at UKAEA
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
clumsy computer wizard
What did you want to be after you left school?
A rockstar!
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Not very often. I used to chat to my friends, which would get us in trouble sometimes.
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Gorillaz
What's your favourite food?
Chinese food is my favourite, especially crispy chilli beef.
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
To make the most of my time by doing things that I enjoy, to be confident enough to meet lots of different people and to always ask the silly questions
Tell us a joke.
Why did the scientist install a knocker on his door? Because he wanted to win a No-bell prize!
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