Picture shows Adam Sweeting, Design Engineer with the Halo helmet he created on his 3D printer. Background Ellis sample display room.

Spotlight on Adam Sweeting: From Video Games to Engineering Excellence

In celebration of National Manufacturing Day (Thursday 26 Sept), we’re thrilled to shine a spotlight on one of our talented engineers, Adam Sweeting. Adam’s journey to becoming a Design Engineer at Ellis Patents is a testament to passion, resilience, and creativity.

Adam joined Ellis Patents in 2020 as an Apprentice Mechanical Engineer and has recently been promoted to Design Engineer, a role he’s truly earned through hard work and dedication. His love for engineering, however, began long before he joined our team.

The Spark: A Halo-Inspired Dream

As a child, Adam was a huge fan of the video game Halo and dreamt of owning a replica of the iconic helmet. When he realized no one was making them, Adam took matters into his own hands. At just 13, he worked tirelessly on a paper round, saving up £500 to buy a 3D printer - a huge investment for someone his age. Unfortunately, his first attempt at printing the helmet was a complete failure. Yet, instead of giving up, Adam persevered, quickly improving his skills and soon found himself doing 3D printing jobs for friends, neighbours, and even local businesses.

Finding His Path at Scarborough UTC

During this pivotal time, Adam left the traditional school system and enrolled at Scarborough UTC, where he discovered his passion for engineering. "That’s when I realized this thing I loved doing—building, designing in CAD - it’s called engineering," Adam reflects. The hands-on, practical approach of UTC allowed him to explore various disciplines, including programming, electronics, and machining. His natural talent for CAD design quickly made him a standout student.

Grateful for the opportunity UTC provided, Adam admits, “The traditional school system didn’t work for me. I don’t know where I’d be if I hadn’t found this more practical approach.” At UTC, Adam found a place to make mistakes, test boundaries, and learn from experience, all while honing his engineering skills.

From Trainee to Engineer

Adam’s entrepreneurial spirit continued to drive him forward. While still a student, he approached Deep Sea Electronics for a summer job as a trainee mechanical engineer. Impressed by his work, the company gave him his first taste of applying his skills in a real-world environment.

In 2020, as COVID-19 disrupted workplaces across the globe, Ellis Patents remained busy, supplying essential safety-critical cable cleats to the energy sector. We were searching for an Apprentice Mechanical Engineer, and Adam’s innovative thinking, passion for CAD, and practical experience made him the perfect fit. He joined us in August 2020 through an apprenticeship with Derwent Training.

A Bright Future

Adam’s journey from a Halo-obsessed teenager to a valued member of Ellis Patents’ engineering team is inspiring. As Stephen Walton, Technical Director at Ellis and Adam’s boss, said “Adam is a fantastic addition to the Ellis team, and it has been a privilege to watch him develop and grow in his career. Adam brings enthusiasm and a deep understanding of emerging technologies. He has made significant contributions to the Ellis engineering department due to his innovative ideas and mastery of 3D CAD design.”

His passion, resilience, and willingness to learn have helped shape him into the engineer he is today—and we’re proud to have him on our team.

As Adam says, “It’s a great place to work—and to think, it all started with Halo!”

For further details about careers in engineering go to: https://thisisengineering.org.uk/