National Engineering Day | Celebrating 1 Year of Brimstone’s Graduate Scheme

National Engineering Day is the perfect time to recognise the skills, dedication, and innovation of engineers – especially the next generation starting their careers.

At Brimstone UXO, it has been one year since we launched our Graduate Scheme, providing structured training, hands-on experience, and mentorship to help new engineers grow into highly skilled UXO professionals.

To mark National Engineering Day, we sat down with Adrian Gassama to hear about his experience from his first year on the scheme.

Why I Chose Brimstone UXO

I was drawn to Brimstone because its ambitions align closely with my skills and career goals. I saw it as the ideal environment to realise my full potential.

What stood out most was Brimstone’s focus on personal and professional development. The variety of specialisms within the company also offered the chance to explore different areas and broaden my expertise over time – a fantastic opportunity for a graduate entering a technical and engineering-focused field.

My First Year Experience

Hands-on engineering from day one

My first day on site is one of my most memorable experiences – it still feels like yesterday. The project was in Seasalter, and it marked the beginning of my hands-on journey into the UXO world.

The first year has been a steep but rewarding learning curve, involving a range of field-based projects that have challenged both problem-solving and technical skills. Quickly identifying and correcting mistakes has accelerated professional growth, while structured projects have built my confidence and operational expertise.

Adapting to a specialist engineering environment

The transition from university to a specialist industry has been both exciting and challenging. Unlike university, mistakes in the field can have real financial or operational consequences.

This environment demands precision, discipline, and accountability – key qualities for any engineer.

Favourite aspects of the job

The Brimstone team feels more like a family.

The positive working environment, both in the office and onsite, makes collaboration easy and enjoyable. Completing a project brings a strong sense of satisfaction, and structured workflows help maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Training and Development

My first year has been shaped by a balance of structured learning and practical fieldwork.

The training has been extremely beneficial. It is well organised and designed so that the skills I learn can be applied directly to my day-to-day tasks. The hands-on experience has reinforced my understanding and built my confidence in the field.

I feel like I’ve developed strong operational skills, particularly in using the CPT Rig and the Pushcart magnetometer system – both of which have become integral tools in my work and are used for conducting UXO surveys.

Reflecting on my first year, I was surprised by how much UXO still remains buried in the UK. I was also amazed to learn that it could take up to 100 years to fully remove, which highlights the scale and importance of the work we do.

Looking ahead

I’m really looking forward to completing my IMAS Level 1 and 2 and becoming a fully qualified UXO Engineer. It’s a major milestone that I’m excited to achieve.

I’d also like to understand the day-to-day operations related to data clearing and become more familiar with the software used in the process. Developing this technical knowledge is one of my main goals for the coming year.

Celebrating Engineering Talent

The Brimstone UXO Graduate Scheme demonstrates how structured training, mentorship, and hands-on experience is essential to nurture the next generation of engineers.

National Engineering Day is a reminder of the critical role engineers play in tackling complex challenges and delivering innovative solutions – something the Brimstone team is proud to do every day.

Interested in working with Brimstone UXO? Keep an eye on our careers page, which we update regularly with our latest vacancies.

Learn more about Brimstone UXO and what our engineers are up to by following us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.