Work experience at MJ Patch & Co gives students a week inside our Winford workshop, rotating through draughting, estimating, project management and the steel fabrication shop, with site visits and hands-on tasks that end in designing and building a steel stool. This week we had four work experience students join us, and it was a genuine pleasure to have them. For students considering engineering, school or college staff arranging placements, and anyone curious about early career routes into steel fabrication in the South West, it offers a practical look at how a steel fabrication business runs from the first drawing through to a finished piece they make themselves.
We wanted to give them more than a sit-and-watch placement, so we built a schedule that moved them through the main parts of the business and got their hands on actual work. The week shows how each team contributes to a project, what hands-on learning students can expect, and how placements and apprenticeships can help more young people see a trade that is often overlooked despite the need for the next generation of fabricators, draughtspeople and engineers.
What engineering work experience at a steel fabricator actually involves
You might be wondering what a week of work experience at MJ Patch looks like in practice. In short, it means spending real time with the teams who design, price, manage, and build our projects, rather than reading about them from a desk.
Our four students rotated through the draughting team, estimating, project management, and the steel fabrication workshop, with a site visit and a hands-on build to finish.
Time across the teams
Each team plays an important part in turning an enquiry into a delivered project, so we wanted the students to see how the work passes from one to the next.
In draughting, they saw how a project starts on screen. Our draughting team turns architect and contractor drawings into the detailed CAD models and fabrication drawings the workshop builds from. It is precise work, and it sets up everything that follows.
With the estimating and project management teams, they learned how a job is priced, planned, and kept on programme. This is the less visible side of fabrication, the part that makes sure the right steel arrives at the right time and the project lands on schedule.
In the steel fabrication workshop, they got closest to the metal. They saw cutting, drilling, welding, and finishing in action, and how a fabrication drawing becomes a physical component on the shop floor.
Seeing a live project come together
One highlight was a visit to one of our live sites. Seeing steelwork installed on location is the best way to understand why the drawing-office detail and the workshop tolerances matter so much. It brought the week’s learning to life and showed how all the earlier stages add up to something standing on the ground.
It is one thing to see a frame in the workshop. It is another to see a finished project in use, like the steelwork we have delivered on schemes across Bristol and the South West.
Designing and fabricating their own steel stool to gain skills
By the end of the work experience week, the students were proudest of their own build. Each one designed and fabricated a steel stool from start to finish, taking it from an idea to a finished object they could take home.
That is real hands on experience in engineering. Learning steel fabrication by actually doing it, taking on practical tasks in a live workplace environment, helps students develop practical skills and communication skills while working with the team, and teaches far more than any classroom session can. It is also a good reminder that fabrication is a skilled, creative trade, whether the end product is a stool, a feature staircase, or a multi-storey frame.
If you run a school or college in the area and would like to arrange a future placement, we are always happy to talk. Drop us a line through our contact page.
Why we make time for work experience
Running a week like this takes people off their normal jobs for a few days, so it is worth being clear about why we do it. Steel fabrication has an ageing workforce, and the trades behind it, welding, draughting, estimating, and project management, are not always visible to school leavers deciding what to do next. Engineering work experience can impress employers and strengthen a CV or UCAS application. Relevant experience can also come from part time work or volunteering, not only formal placements. It puts the work in front of them properly, so they can judge it for themselves rather than guess from the outside.
It also keeps us honest. Explaining what we do to someone seeing it for the first time is a good test of whether a process makes sense, and the students asked plenty of questions that made us think while showing the wider benefits for their own development.
Supporting early careers in engineering in the South West
As a family-run steel fabricator that has been going since 1955, we care about where the next generation of fabricators, draughtspeople, and engineers comes from. The trade has plenty to offer, and fabrication is a strictly regulated industry with standards such as ISO 9001 and BS EN 1090-1/2, so placements give students useful background on how the company works. Weeks like this are a small way of opening the door.
There is a real need for engineering careers in the South West to feel visible and reachable to young people. For anyone weighing up a steel fabrication apprenticeship in Bristol, or simply curious about early careers in engineering, a placement like this is a useful look behind the scenes at what the work actually involves, with a focus on building technical knowledge, technical understanding of the working environment, and the kind of support that helps people start out in the trade.
If that sounds like you, you can browse current openings through the government’s apprenticeship search.
Interested in a placement or early careers opportunities with us? Get in touch and we will let you know what might be possible.
A big thank you to our teams for giving up their time and supporting the students all week, and to the students themselves for their enthusiasm, curiosity, and willingness to get involved. We wish you all the best for whatever comes next.
Frequently asked questions
Does MJ Patch offer work experience placements?
Yes. We host placements like the week described above, and while engineering work experience and other work placements typically last one to two weeks, availability at the company can vary across our draughting, estimating, project management, and workshop teams. Availability changes through the year, so the best step is to ask us directly through the careers page or contact form. Application timing depends on availability, so interested students should speak to MJ Patch directly.
What does a placement for placement students with us involve?
Students rotate through the main parts of the business, from draughting and estimating to project management and the workshop, where they complete practical tasks across the business, usually with a visit to a live site and a hands-on build to finish. The aim is to give placement students hands-on engineering work experience and a better sense of the professional workplace, while showing how a steel fabrication project moves from a drawing to a finished piece.
Does MJ Patch offer apprenticeships?
Apprenticeships are a well-trodden route into steel fabrication and engineering. To see current openings and how to apply, the government’s apprenticeship search is a good place to start, and you can contact us to ask what might be available with MJ Patch.
Who can apply for early careers opportunities?
We are happy to hear from students, school and college coordinators, and anyone curious about a career in engineering across Bristol and the South West, including applicants in the following areas of education and training. Get in touch and we will let you know what is possible, and what support is available for schools, students and coordinators.
Start your engineering journey with MJ Patch
If you would like to talk to us about work experience, early career routes, a future placement, or a project of your own, call our team on 01275 288984 or use our contact form. We can speak about what might suit your background, helping you make connections and progress towards a future job in the industry, including a career in fabrication. We are based in Winford, near Bristol, and work across Bristol, Bath, and the wider South West.
