When the placement opportunity at PING was advertised, I received excellent support from Loughborough throughout the application process. My academic tutor provided valuable feedback on my CV and cover letter, whilst a mock assessment centre organised by the Careers Network helped me develop my interview skills and build confidence.
After securing the placement, the Wolfson Placement Team provided invaluable support. As the placement was overseas, they assisted with my visa application, health and safety requirements and provided guidance on working abroad. They also introduced me to the Turing Scheme, where I successfully secured additional funding to support my international placement.
I quickly adapted to life in Phoenix, balancing my work as an Analysis and Testing Intern with participation in the local football community, which helped me build connections outside of work. I also received support from Phoenix based family friends, PING colleagues and staff at Loughborough, which helped make the transition to living and working abroad a smooth and rewarding experience. In my role, I was directly involved in the sports product development process. From reviewing current scientific research through to idea creation, design and manufacture. I also worked to improve the efficiency and capability of golf club testing by using a range of test methods to evaluate product performance, conformance and durability. I gained valuable insight into the full product development process through hands-on experiences on the production line and visits to casting facilities. These experiences showed me how decisions must balance technical performance with manufacturing constraints and commercial priorities. I also learned to play golf, which enhanced my appreciation and understanding of the sector I was working in.
Although living and working abroad was initially daunting, it helped me build confidence, independence and a strong professional network. I will always value the people I met and the experiences I gained. The placement provided valuable industry experience and developed my technical, organisational and stakeholder management skills. Working across multiple engineering teams strengthened my collaboration, communication and critical thinking, while giving me hands-on experience with CAD, programming software and product and process improvement.
Next I would like to pursue a PhD to further develop my research expertise before moving into the sports equipment industry, specifically footwear research and development. My interest began with a fascination for football boots and their performance-focused design and later evolved into a passion for injury prevention following several foot and ankle injuries during high school. During my degree, I completed footwear-related projects exploring the effect of golf shoes on female golfers' swing kinematics and designing a more sustainable running shoe. These experiences reinforced my interest in footwear research, biomechanics, product design and innovation.
