A graduate's perspective: Nicole Coursey

Nicole shares her experience as a Graduate Development Trainee at VSP Technologies.

Getting started at VSP Technologies

This month, I had the pleasure of starting my new position at VSP Technologies as part of Diploma PLC’s graduate development programme.

What I’ve appreciated most about these first few weeks, however, has been the opportunity to learn about VSP Technologies as a whole. I’ve had the chance to spend time with leaders across the organization and see first-hand the unique role each division plays — from engineering and manufacturing to inventory and shipping, accounting, purchasing, and sales.

As someone new to the chemical sealing and specialty manufacturing industry, it has been especially eye-opening to learn about the products and processes that go into creating reliable, high-quality sealing solutions. VSP Technologies develops and manufactures products including gaskets, O-rings, and other engineered sealing solutions designed for demanding industrial applications.

While these products may not always be top of mind, they play an essential role in the systems and processes that keep industries around the world operating. From nuclear and transportation to applications for companies like Anheuser-Busch, the range of industries these products support is incredibly broad. Learning about the precision, expertise, and collaboration that go into producing them has given me an entirely new appreciation for the work happening behind the scenes—and the impact it has on the industries we rely on every day.

I’m incredibly grateful for the people who have made these first few weeks such a positive experience. The faces that were strangers just two weeks ago are already becoming familiar, and I’m looking forward to the relationships, experiences, and opportunities that will continue to grow from here.

What I've been doing

The first several weeks of my program were focused on gaining a broad understanding of the company and its day-to-day operations. I had the opportunity to spend time with nearly every department, including accounting, purchasing, inside sales, manufacturing, hose crimping, and more. While this gave me a great overview of how the business operates, over the past several weeks my focus has shifted primarily to the marketing department.

In marketing, I've had the opportunity to work closely with our Marketing Manager on a variety of projects, including video editing for Hose Safety Awareness Month. I also conducted interviews with team members across the company to gather content and insights for VSP's first-ever company newsletter. Additionally, I've been working on a technical writing project highlighting how VSP helps customers reduce costs and improve operational efficiency.

I recently joined the data center team as well, where I've been conducting market research to identify opportunities for VSP's expansion into the data center industry. This work has included researching key market participants such as hyperscalers, OEMs, engineering firms, and other stakeholders within the space.

What I’ve learned

I've gained a much deeper appreciation for how a business functions as a whole. I've seen firsthand how each department contributes to the company's success and how collaboration across teams is essential to achieving shared goals. I've also learned a great deal about the fluid sealing industry, including how gaskets and other sealing products work, the problems they solve, and the industries and customers they serve.

Developing new skills

One of the most rewarding parts of my experience has been getting to know the people at VSP. Everyone has been incredibly welcoming, supportive, and willing to share their knowledge. From a professional development standpoint, I've also enjoyed learning new software platforms and building skills in programs such as Adobe Premiere Pro, InDesign, Illustrator, and WordPress.

I'm very grateful for the experience so far and am really looking forward to the rest of my time with VSP!