KAA alumni and Trigon Aldridge Bursary for Engineering Excellence Scholar Salma is studying Design Engineering at Imperial College, London.  Over the summer in 2025, Salma undertook an internship with her sponsors, Trigon Fire Safety.   

We spoke with her to find out more about the exciting opportunity, her future plans, and advice for fellow students considering applying for internships.  

Please tell us a little about your background and why you applied for the Next Steps programme.  How did applying for the programme and bursary help you with your steps into further education/employment?  

I applied for the Next Steps programme when I was in sixth form. The bursary has helped me be able to focus on my education and interests without the stress of finances. The mentor programme was very helpful in connecting me with someone in the engineering field who can give me advice and encouragement on my journey. 

How did you hear about your placement?  

 Through my mentor James Lavender who is a Chartered Fire safety Engineer at Trigon. 

Why did you decide to apply for it?  

 I wanted to participate in a summer internship in engineering between my second and third year of university. I was not familiar with fire safety engineering but it sounded very interesting and was appealing to me as it had a clear focus on life safety. 

What you had to do to apply? 

 I send my CV and I participated in an interview to see if the internship would be the right fit for me.   

How did you prepare for any interviews ?  

The encouragement from the Aldridge Foundation to connect with my mentor James and to try out the internship was very helpful as it led me to take the steps to be more proactive and take opportunities that were beneficial for my personal and professional growth.  

How did you feel going on your first day?  How did you overcome any nerves?   

 I was very nervous on my first day. Through my internship, the consistent support and encouragement from everyone at Trigon really helped me grow out of my shell and be more confident in my work, communicating my thoughts and being able to confidently reach out for help when I need it. Everyone at Trigon really helped create a wonderful work environment that made me excited for each new day at work. 

My mentor Sam helped guide me through the goals for my internship and patiently showed me how different tasks would be done. He always answered any questions I may have had without hesitation and had confidence in my ability to complete tasks which really helped me grow my own confidence.  

The directors James, Karl and David were exemplary role models who showed care both in their work and with everyone at Trigon. I gained lots of nuggets of knowledge from them during my internship. 

What was a typical day like?   

I began my day by checking my email to see if there were any new project tasks sent my way. I would note out my aims of the day to prioritise. I got to work on lots of different projects from working on drafting fee proposals for clients to recording measurements and drafting reports. I also had my own research project where I was learning about a modelling software called CFAST.  

Was there any work/ project you supported on that you are particularly proud of?    

 I had a project that was involved in from the start of my internship up to the end which I was proud of as I am able to reflect on my work and how I became more familiar with key details. It was an interesting project to see how the design team responsible for this project took on the fire safety advice throughout the project.  

I got to work on several different projects throughout my internship and the knowledge and skills I gained after each one felt very rewarding. 

Did you develop new skills?   

 I improved my organisational skills in the internship as keeping files and documents organised and accessible was very important when working within a team.  

I also became more meticulous with my writing as using the right terms in reports was key to being clear. Trigon had a high standard for their work which I appreciated as I learned to better format my work so others understand it.  

How did it build on any personal abilities (confidence, teamwork etc) and did you see how working on developing the Aldridge attributes while at school helps once you are in other settings such as university and work?  Because you already have experience of trying to utilise these attributes?   

 I had a visible improvement to my confidence and now I am much more comfortable tackling a task I would normally be nervous about due to lacking technical skills. I learned that trying is the first step to success and the internship gave me the structure to tackle novel problems and learn from my mistakes which led to me doing better the next time round.   

Did the internship change or confirm your career goals?   

The internship did open up the possibilities of future careers that I had never thought of before and that the soft skills I gained are very transferable for different roles. Fire engineering is now a possible future career path! 

What was the most surprising thing you learnt about being in a professional setting?    

How willing to help everyone is. Even though everyone had their own work they were always happy to take a moment to help explain things.  

You also are also trusted to get your work done in a timely manner to meet deadlines (internal and external) so you have to figure out the workflow that works for you to be able to do so. I learned when to know if I can take on any more workload as a result so I don’t end up biting off more than I can chew. 

What are your key takeaways from the internship? (learnings, skills, future aspirations etc)  

 I have learned that if I have the eagerness to learn, improve and do my best then I can excel.  

Do you think this internship will benefit your future career?    

 I do. I have seen visible improvement in my skills and confidence in trying which will help me as I continue to pursue engineering.  

What advice would you give to other students who may be considering applying for an internship or similar role?   

 Go for it! I was a bit nervous when applying but it ended up being a very rewarding experience where I learned a lot. Internships are a great way to get an experience of a career you might be interested in, you get to learn from experts in the field and even if you don’t end up wanting to pursue that specific career path, there are lots of skills you pick up regardless.  

Anything that you want to say about or to Trigon?  

I want to thank everyone at Trigon for being so welcoming and encouraging throughout my time with them. I appreciated all the support and care from everyone at the London Office and online from the other office. I learned a lot and had many fun and educational moments during my internship. 

Trigon Fire Safety comment on the internship  

Sam Bader, Principal Fire Engineer at Trigon Fire Safety – “It was a pleasure to have Salma in the Richmond office last summer. Her enthusiasm for contributing to the team and supporting our work was truly appreciated. It was wonderful to see her grow and gain confidence in her abilities over the course of her time with us. We wish her all the very best as she continues her university journey and in the chapters to come.”

James Lavender, Director at Trigon Fire Safety – “”Having mentored Salma since she received the Trigon Aldridge Bursary for Engineering Excellence, it has been a privilege to witness her development as an engineer. We were delighted to have her join us for a summer internship, where she quickly became an integral part of the team. Salma consistently supported her colleagues and tackled new challenges with a genuine passion for learning. We look forward to our continued relationship and are entirely confident in her bright future within the engineering profession.”