“No other university produces the calibre of engineer that Harper Adams does,” says Benedict Churchhouse.

Turning students into industry-ready engineers is the aim of our courses, and according to Benedict Churchhouse, they do just that and more.

The MEng Agricultural Engineering student, from Derby, says he values being taught to consider the wider implications of his work.

“An acquaintance went to a prestigious university to study Mechanical Engineering and technically, they are brilliant at the subject, especially the design and theory, but outside a university context they struggle.

“I’d ask them, what about this, and what about that, or did you consider the everyday usage of it…and they couldn’t answer me, or didn’t consider the manufacturability, usability or profitability of their work.

“Harper Adams trains you to be an industry-ready engineer and, looking back, I can see what the engineering department was teaching me at every step of my degree.

“In the moment you think ‘why are we learning this?’ …but retrospectively I can see that right from the get-go the lecturers challenge your thinking and develop you into a competent workplace-ready professional.”

There are two stand-out components of the degree for Benedict.

“The Global Agriculture module because we got to learn from lecturers in other departments who are experts and passionate in their fields,” says the 23-year-old.

“My placement with Railability in Stafford is the other. I’d receive a design task, clarify problems and then design a solution ensuring price, time and manufacturability and then send my drawing off for fabrication.”

Benedict is similarly enthusiastic about the social life at Harper Adams.

“I have extremely enjoyed all social aspects of the university, from seeing friends in the pubs of Newport and attending Polo Club socials, to the hilarity that was the Welcome Week Sports Day.”

Benedict did not have the usual progression to university and will likely have an unusual trajectory after he graduates.

“I was not that interested in going to university, but I applied at the last moment.  I rang up and was interviewed by the course manager and was offered a place.”

Benedict adds: "I am an Australian citizen, so once I graduate, I am going there before coming back to hopefully attend Sandhurst and join the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME).

“Retrospectively I would absolutely go nowhere else. I love it here. If I had choose all over again it would still, and always be, Harper Adams.”