Oliver Jeffery

Meet the Team: Oliver Jeffery – Apprentice Electronics Engineer

 

Tell us about your role at EMP Designs.

I'm an Apprentice Electronics Engineer working within the Research & Development team. My role mainly focuses on electronic design, which can involve PCB design, component selection, testing, documentation, and supporting new product development projects.

 

How long have you been with EMP Designs?

I've been with EMP Designs for around five years if you include the time I spent with the company before starting full-time, and I’ve been an apprentice here for the last three years. I originally started in manufacturing and have gradually progressed into the R&D department as part of my apprenticeship journey.

 

What stage are you at in your apprenticeship?

I've recently completed my Level 4 HNC in Electronic Engineering and have also been awarded a distinction for the Level 4 Engineering Manufacturing Technician apprenticeship standard. The apprenticeship involved spending one day per week at college and four days per week working at EMP Designs. Alongside that, I completed assignments and built a portfolio demonstrating the knowledge, skills, and behaviours required by the apprenticeship standard. After summer, I will be starting the Level 5 HND in Electronic Engineering as well as the Level 6 Apprenticeship standard for an Embedded Electronic Systems Design and Development Engineer which will be followed a Beng (Hons) Electronic Engineering top-up degree.

 

What does a typical day look like for you?

It can be very varied depending on the projects I'm working on. If I'm in the middle of a PCB design project, most of my day will be spent using PCB design software, creating schematics, selecting components, laying out circuit boards, and reviewing designs. Or if I'm developing or prototyping hardware, I might spend the day moving between the soldering station and a test bench, building and modifying circuits, and taking measurements using oscilloscopes, probes, and signal generators. It's often an iterative process of testing, analysing results, and refining the design until it performs as intended. No two projects are quite the same, which keeps things interesting.

 

What software do you use?

The main PCB design packages I use are Proteus 9 Professional and EasyEDA Pro, and I am looking to expand this to include others. When designing prototypes, 3D printed jigs or testing rigs and checking PCB fit inside product enclosures, I use Fusion 360. A typical design starts with creating the schematic, selecting suitable components, and then progressing through to the PCB layout stage.

 

How do you go about selecting electronic components?

A lot of it comes down to understanding the requirements of the design. Sometimes it's relatively straightforward. For example, if you need a resistor of a certain value and package size, there are only a few key parameters to consider. For more complex active components, such as microcontrollers or power management devices, the selection process is much more involved. You need a good understanding of what the product needs to do before you can narrow down the huge range of available options. Understanding which parameters actually matter in each kind of component for a given application is just as important as understanding the design requirements themselves. There's often a fair amount of calculation involved as well, particularly when determining component values and operating conditions.

 

What would you say to someone deciding between university and an apprenticeship?

I think one of the biggest differences is the experience you gain. The academic learning is often very similar, and in some areas the apprenticeship can actually provide a deeper understanding because you're applying the knowledge directly within a real business environment. That said, apprenticeships definitely aren't the easier option. At university you typically have lectures and then time to complete your coursework. With an apprenticeship, you're balancing your studies alongside a full-time job, which brings its own challenges. However, the experience you gain, the industry knowledge, and the fact you're earning a salary while you learn make it incredibly worthwhile.

 

Do your studies and your day-to-day work support each other?

Yes, very much so. I've found that topics I've studied at college have helped me with projects at work, and equally, the practical experience I've gained at EMP Designs has helped me understand the college material more effectively. College naturally covers a wider range of topics because it needs to support students from many different industries, but that's no bad thing. It gives you a broader understanding of engineering as a whole.

 

What made you choose EMP Designs?

One of the biggest attractions was the size of the company. Because EMP Designs is relatively small, you get exposure to a huge variety of different projects and disciplines. In larger companies, people often have very specific roles and responsibilities. Here, you get involved in many different areas and see projects all the way through from concept to completion. That's something I really liked when I was looking at apprenticeship opportunities.

 

Is there a project you've worked on that stands out?

One that always comes to mind is the line-following and inductive guidance projects I worked on. We initially developed technology for vehicle guidance applications, and it was really rewarding to later see those concepts evolve and contribute towards the technology used in a project at the Warner Bros Studio Tour. I was also able to contribute PCB design work to that project, which made it particularly satisfying. It's always rewarding when you see something you've worked on become part of a real-world installation.

 

What do you enjoy most about the development process?

I enjoy the problem-solving and collaboration. One of the strengths of the team here is that everyone contributes ideas. A concept might start with one person, but it evolves through discussions, testing, and input from multiple team members. It's very much a collaborative process, and I enjoy seeing ideas gradually develop into finished products.

 

What has surprised you most about working at EMP Designs?

The sheer range of industries and applications that we work in. As I've become more involved in R&D, I've gained greater visibility of future projects and product ideas. It's shown me just how many different markets our products can be used in and how adaptable the technology is. There are always new opportunities and new challenges on the horizon.

 

You've worked in both manufacturing and R&D. How has that experience helped you?

Having a manufacturing background has had a huge influence on how I design products today. When you've spent time building, testing, and assembling products yourself, you quickly learn what makes a product easy to manufacture and what makes it difficult. That experience helps me think about assembly, testing, servicing, and usability during the design stage, rather than focusing purely on the electronics. I think it's made me a better designer overall.

 

What is it like working across electronics, software, and mechanical disciplines?

Most of my work is focused on electronics hardware, but it's impossible to work in isolation. Even when designing hardware, I need to understand how the software will interact with it and what the software team needs from the design. That means working closely with colleagues from different disciplines and understanding how all the different parts of a project fit together.

 

How much freedom do you have to experiment and develop your own ideas?

Quite a lot. A good example was a production test rig I developed for one of our new products. I was given the requirements for what needed to be tested, but I had complete freedom over how the solution was implemented. That allowed me to focus not only on the technical requirements but also on how the manufacturing team would actually use the equipment. The result was a more user-friendly testing system that improved fault detection while reducing the risk of damaging products during testing. Having the freedom to think beyond the immediate technical problem often leads to better overall solutions.

 

How would you describe EMP Designs in three words?

Creative. Technical. Innovation.

 

How would you describe the company culture?

It's a very friendly place to work. Because we're a relatively small company, everyone knows each other and works closely together. People are approachable, supportive, and willing to help when needed. If there's something that would improve the way you work, people listen and genuinely try to make things better. That creates a positive working environment where everyone feels involved.

 

What kind of people succeed at EMP Designs?

People who are curious and adaptable. Because the company works across so many different areas, it's important to be willing to learn new skills, take on unfamiliar challenges, and get involved in projects outside your comfort zone. The people who enjoy variety and like solving problems tend to thrive here.

 

Finally, what keeps you motivated?

The variety of work and the opportunity to keep learning. Every project brings a new challenge, a new technology, or a new application. You're constantly developing your skills and gaining experience in areas you may never have expected to work in. That continuous learning is what keeps the role interesting and rewarding.