Zain Karim

Zain’s future in Engineering

After achieving a Distinction in his T Level in Maintenance, Installation and Repair for Light and Electric Vehicles at Leicester College, Zain Karim is preparing to continue his passion for engineering at university.

Although he found the course challenging at times, the combination of theory, practical learning and industry experience helped Zain develop his skills and gave him a clearer understanding of the career opportunities available within engineering.

Building on his interest in engineering

Having previously completed a Level 2 qualification, Zain wanted to continue developing his knowledge and skills in an area that would prepare him for a future in engineering.

“The course stood out to me and I knew I wanted to keep focusing on engineering. It was intense and I found parts of it quite difficult at times, but I enjoyed it and I’m glad I did it.”

The T Level gave Zain the opportunity to experience different aspects of the industry through a combination of classroom learning and practical activities.

“There was a lot of theory, but we also had practical work and work experience. It was a solid course and it gave me the chance to learn in different ways.”

Experiencing the automotive industry

As part of his T Level, Zain completed work experience at a garage on Cobden Street in Leicester, where he was able to observe professionals carrying out their day-to-day work.

“Being in the garage meant I could watch what they were doing and see how things worked in a real workplace. They were happy with my attitude and commitment, which was good to hear.”

Helping shape his future

For Zain, one of the biggest benefits of completing the T Level was being able to evaluate his options before committing to a particular career.

“The course helped me think more about what I want to do in the future. There are lots of different jobs within engineering, and sometimes people can end up looking at roles that aren’t actually right for them.”

He believes gaining experience across theory, practical learning and the workplace can help students make more informed decisions about their next steps.

Taking the next step into automotive engineering

After achieving a Distinction, Zain is now preparing to begin studying Automotive Engineering at De Montfort University.

While at university, he hopes to explore different areas of the automotive sector, including design and testing, before deciding which career path he would like to pursue.

“I want to use university to explore my options and find out more about areas like design and testing. Then I can decide what kind of career is right for me”, he concludes.