DCG Success Stories

Derby College Group T Level engineering student Hafza Tanveer has achieved her ambition of securing a degree apprenticeship. 

Hafza, 17, has been offered the opportunity by Long Eaton-based business Taudevin Engineering Limited, (TEL) after excelling on her T Level work experience placement 

She will move on to the BEng (Hons) course at The Roundhouse once she’s completed her T Level in Design and Development for Engineering and Manufacturing this summer. 

In Year 11 at school Hafza briefly thought about a career in medicine but changed her mind after talking over her options with her dad.  

She said: “My dad recommended engineering and once I’d looked into the opportunities for engineers, I really got into it.  

“I went along to an open day at Derby College where I was advised to apply for the engineering T Level. I’m the only girl on my course which was hard for me at first but I’m used to it now. The boys are really nice.”   

After her GCSEs and before T Levels, Hafza unsuccessfully applied to apprenticeship schemes at Rolls-Royce and Toyota but is more than pleased with the way her future is shaping up.  

She said: “I am so happy about my apprenticeship. I really wanted one. Working at TEL is fun. I’ve done so many different things since I started my placement, including a lot of computer aided design. 

“After that I designed the workplace’s kitchen, which I loved doing, and I’ve now started a new project involving a historic triplane. 

Hafza and fellow DCG T Level student Rhys Allen, were paid by TEL throughout their T Level placement and are working there paid part-time while they finish their course.  

TEL business manager Steve Goss, who also serves on DCG’s Engineering & Manufacturing Skills’ Board, said both Hafza and Rhys were ‘rising stars’ in the business.  

He said: “They completed the mandatory industry experience hours with us months ago but we and they wanted to carry on.  

“Rhys has done some great 3D computer aided design work for clients and Hafza did a fabulous job identifying our future CAD strategy.  

“Both students are so talented – they outperformed people with engineering degrees when we ran some sessions to test their mettle in areas like concept design and CAD.”