Will Allan

I’m a technician with a practical background in design and manufacturing, and a strong interest in building functional, durable equipment for hands-on engineering education. Before joining the University of Sheffield, I completed an electrical engineering apprenticeship at Wilson Benesch — a high-end loudspeaker manufacturer specialising in carbon fibre components. This experience gave me a solid foundation in high-precision manufacturing and problem-solving, which I’ve carried into my work ever since.

Since 2021, I’ve worked in the Structures Laboratory at the Diamond, supporting practical teaching across engineering disciplines. I’m now the Technical Lead for the lab, where I’m responsible for maintaining equipment, preparing for classes, and leading the design and manufacture of custom-built test rigs used in undergraduate teaching.

Over the past few years, I’ve built a strong reputation for producing high-quality, bespoke rigs — managing the full process from CAD design to manufacture and assembly. These builds often require multiple identical units and are designed for reliability, safety, and repeatability in high-usage teaching environments.

While I regularly support students and staff during lab sessions, my main focus is on developing technical solutions that improve the way teaching is delivered. I enjoy the hands-on nature of the work, the variety of design challenges it brings, and the opportunity to make a real contribution to the student learning experience through well-executed engineering.