Meet Abin, an Electrical and Electronics Engineering student at Aston University, who recently wrapped up a Research and Development internship at Handicare. His year was all about bringing engineering theory to life, working on modifying existing products and developing new projects with the Electrical and Electronics team.
From application to first-day jitters.
Abin first heard about the role through Step, who gave him a call about the opportunity. After researching Handicare, he knew it would be the perfect place to gain hands-on engineering experience.
“Step was really helpful throughout the application process, guiding me on which theory skills to highlight in my application.”
Like many students starting their first placement, Abin felt nervous stepping into an engineering workplace for the first time. But once he met his team—and another intern from Aston University—those nerves quickly disappeared.
During his first two weeks, he had a handover period with the previous intern, which helped him understand the work ahead and set clear goals for the year.
What did the role involve?
Abin’s day-to-day work included:
✅ Creating simulations of electronic circuits
✅ Programming printed circuit boards
✅ Working with multiple programming languages
It wasn’t just about technical skills, though. Working across different departments helped him gain confidence, meet new people, and understand how various teams collaborate on engineering projects.
Turning theory into practice
One of the biggest takeaways from this placement? Seeing engineering theory in action.
“It really proved to me how important theoretical knowledge is for working safely and efficiently in engineering.”
But the most valuable lesson he learned was about problem-solving.
“At first, I relied too much on others for help. Over time, I learned to use my own initiative to solve problems—and that’s a skill I’ll carry forward in my studies and career.”
Why a placement year is worth it
For any student unsure about whether to do a placement, Abin highly recommends it.
“It really helps you prepare for the workplace. Having a recruitment agency like Step made the whole process easier and took away a lot of the stress.”
After a year at Handicare, Abin has grown as an engineer—not just in technical skills but in confidence, problem-solving, and decision-making. Now, he’s ready to take what he’s learned into his final year and beyond.
Get in touch with Step today to start hiring the next generation of talent.
Abin