Achieving my dream of becoming a Water and Wastewater Engineer at Cranfield University

Applying to schools, a program of study, or selecting the country to attend school in may be an easy thing to do for most people, for me it was a nightmare. I had a BSc in Environmental and Safety Engineering and worked as an occupational health and safety officer at an aviation company. Although I enjoyed the idea of saving lives and the pleasures it comes with, I still felt unfulfilled and lost. I wished I could let go of the dream of becoming a water engineer and embrace what life had presently offered. But the more I tried the more I felt so lost. 

To quench the unfulfilled desire I began the search for a postgraduate role. It took me roughly a year to settle on three universities (one in Belgium, one in the U.K and the last in the Netherlands). Imagine the sleepless nights, the cost involved and the time I sacrificed only to come up with three destinations. However they were the best schools I could find on the internet.

Fortunately or unfortunately for me, after submitting applications to these three schools, I received a notification on LinkedIn, only to realise it was a senior (now my mentor) from my BSc university showcasing an award he had won at Cranfield University. I felt curious and motivated to start doing some digging. I found out that he won the award in a Water and Wastewater Engineering competition. Oh wow, there is a Water and Wastewater Engineering program at Cranfield! Why hadn’t I come across this beautiful program?! Luckily the application windows were still active. I researched and enquired more about the program. After comparing the program to the similar ones in the other three universities, Cranfield stood out to me thanks to it’s Water and Wastewater treatment plant, five times Queen’s anniversary prize for further and higher education, rank in the UK, the high percentage of international students, its international reputation, the course content and impact of research works. I knew from the onset Cranfield is the place to be. 

Today, I can look back and boldly say I’m proud I chose Cranfield over the other options. My experience in Cranfield has been that of roses, from it’s pretty campus, the serene environment, the cultural tolerance, the in-depth knowledge gained in Water and Wastewater, the friends I’ve made, my part-time job and my first snow experience, although some days I prayed it wasn’t so cold! Oh gosh, I wish the year would never end and I don’t have to leave the beautiful four corners of Cranfield. However, I’m hoping for a PhD role here in Cranfield to climax the experience. 

I’ve always wanted to be a Water Engineer and I’m happy Cranfield made me not just a Water Engineer but also a Wastewater Engineer!