Matt Bearman

How would you describe your overall experience in the graduate scheme?

I have had a great time working as a graduate at Ricardo, I’ve had countless opportunities to learn and develop my knowledge. The graduate scheme and support available helped me adapt from student life to life as an engineer.

Can you share a specific project or task from the graduate scheme that had a significant impact on your professional development?

The chance to work closely with a customer and follow a project from start to finish allowed me to build a relationship with the customer making connections with engineers around the world. Seeing a project through allowed me to experience more aspects of work and see the V-Cycle applied in full. This project even gave me the opportunity to travel to the US for a week for testing activities which shows how much responsibility and trust is put into graduates at Ricardo.

How would you characterise the company culture, and how did it support your growth and learning as a graduate trainee?

The support provided by absolutely everyone is brilliant, even the busiest most experienced engineers are willing to lend their time in explaining and teaching you. All my engagements with colleagues have been positive, everyone is friendly and there to support one and other, the company culture of treating the graduates as the future of the company really does show. 

How did the program prepare you for the challenges and responsibilities of your current role?

The program allowed me to build up confidence to know that I am capable and have all the tools required to face any challenge in my current role. The connections I have made during the graduate scheme have allowed me to create a network of people I trust and know I can ask for help as and when I need it. 

What kind of networking opportunities were available to you, and how did they enhance your professional connections?

There were plenty of chances to make professional connections while on the graduate scheme and I don’t plan to stop making use of the networking opportunities working at Ricardo. One event that stands out particularly was the opportunity to attend MATLAB Expo 2023, this event not only gave me a chance to learn about MATLAB’s latest offerings and tools but to speak to and network with the software developers at MATLAB along with many other engineers working in a similar area to myself.

In what ways did the graduate scheme align with your career goals, and how has it influenced your career trajectory?

When I finished university, I was unsure what area of engineering I wanted to end up in, hence why I applied for the graduate scheme at Ricardo. The rotations into different departments have allowed me to find what aspect of engineering I have most interest in and that excites me the most and this is where I will focus my career. I am a strong believer in having a job that makes me happy, and the grad scheme has allowed me to fine tune what that is for me. Certainly, a university degree gives you a great foundation, but I found even after studying all different aspects of engineering I didn’t know which area was for me only after working in the areas did I get a full understanding of what is involved and which area I had the most interest.

What advice would give to someone considering doing the graduate scheme? 
The graduate scheme at Ricardo is a great opportunity to make your early career work for you, the chance to rotate through different departments really does allow to you find what aspect of engineering is for you. A key bit of advice from me would be don’t lock yourself down to one area of engineering too early. Getting a chance to experience other areas will give you insight and understanding of what’s involved from all parties when working on projects.