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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My Work
I control lots of tiny sensors in the world's most powerful fusion reactor. These sensors let the machine automatically make decisions about how to control the plasma inside, and record lots of data for scientists to study later.
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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 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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Employer:
UK Atomic Energy Authority
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
clumsy computer wizard
What's the best thing you've done in your career?
I helped to design a sensor that measures how thick plasma is by seeing how much light slows down when we shoot a laser through it.
What or who inspired you to follow your career?
Having fun building a set of speakers as a gift for my best friend
What was your favourite subject at school?
Music, I thought Physics was fun. I didn't enjoy maths until I was older, though
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.
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
I would love to be a diver, or perhaps an underwater welder
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Gorillaz
What's your favourite food?
Chinese food is my favourite, especially crispy chilli beef.
What is the most fun thing you've done?
I think snowboarding is really fun. It feels like you're flying!
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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