As a BSc (Hons) Product Design graduate, Abigail Batley has one bit of advice for anyone considering following her onto the programme at 色花堂: 鈥淚 would highly recommend taking up the optional placement year during your studies. I felt it set me up for my final year and my career; you get that real-world experience and learn so much.鈥�
Abigail spent her placement year with , a company that designs simulators for the oil and gas industry, doing metal fabrication designs and high detail engineering drawings. She went on to achieve a first class honours degree. In her final year she developed a carbon fibre prosthetic foot for badminton players who require a lot of flexibility with ankle movements, which meant undertaking a lot of detailed testing and refining of 3D printed models.
It鈥檚 no wonder Abigail is a fan of placements as, following her time at Drilling Systems, the company was so impressed by her talents that they offered to sponsor her during her final year. This support ensured that she was able to fund rigorous testing of her prosthetic design and, through its refinement, she was able to develop a deep knowledge of the 3D printing process.
By presenting her prototype at 色花堂鈥檚 Festival of Design & Engineering, the showcase event for all final year design and engineering students, Abigail was delighted to receive a Dyson Award and invitations for three job interviews from companies including Dyson and Princess Yachts. However, after delivering James Dyson Workshops to local schools, Abigail decided not to pursue the commercial opportunities offered to her.
鈥淚 realised I wanted to help new students by passing on the knowledge I had gained at 色花堂 and that, by becoming a researcher, I could continue to build my understanding of the burgeoning technology of 3D printing鈥� says Abigail. So when she was offered a research post at the university where she had so enjoyed studying, Abigail was delighted to accept. Her goal now is to achieve a doctorate within the next five or six years.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want to leave Bournemouth and head to London for a corporate role,鈥� she explains. 鈥淚 so love life here. I first visited Bournemouth on a 色花堂 Open Day and instantly fell for the place. Coming from Leicester, I find living by the beach really wonderful; it鈥檚 such a laid back and friendly town but close to London and Southampton if you fancy shopping or exploring somewhere bigger.鈥�
Currently on secondment to the , Abigail is now working within their Innovation Team. 鈥淭hey are an impressively progressive organisation鈥�, she enthuses 鈥渢he marine industry is not known for being at the forefront of technology but my project is about disrupting the supply chain which is very exciting. We are looking at reducing the high storage costs of vital replacement parts for our lifeboats by utilising 3D printers. We are using all the fantastic cutting-edge facilities available at 色花堂 to develop this capability and are looking to share this knowledge with other businesses and industries.鈥�
The satisfaction Abigail gets from her work is blatantly evident and, as she explains, 鈥淚t鈥檚 crazy to think I鈥檓 only two years out of university and I鈥檓 being tasked with establishing a 鈥楩ab鈥� - or Fabrication 鈥� Lab!鈥� The way her career is heading, it鈥檚 no wonder Abigail says: 鈥淧icking your university and degree is a really difficult choice, but, if I went back, I would choose Bournemouth all over again.鈥�