My joining Wartsila Water & Waste came after a career break and the decision to look for a new challenge, not to mention the desire for a more practical location in terms of commute. The Wärtsilä office is 10 minutes from my house. Who wants to spend hours commuting each day, right? I joined WWS Poole just as the adverse effects of the pandemic on the shipping and cruise industry were beginning to wane. The work load has ever since increased exponentially.
I started my career in the RAF as Airfield Technician, maintaining and repairing radar and communication systems. That was followed by a 10-year spell in the IT industry, making sure the Y2K bug didn’t bite. Then on to a 13-year career working in the Aerospace industry as a technical project manager. Working on several structural, avionic and test equipment projects, where I gained a lot of engineering knowledge and helped to bridge the gap between Project Management and Engineering. I was also heavily involved with the development of the Project Management Office and the roll out and administration of the Enterprise Project Management within that business.
Upon joining the Water & Waste team, I have seen that there is scope for improvement. Current processes and planning are geared more towards the delivery of ship engines and larger projects rather than smaller turnkey or off-the-shelf projects delivered from the Poole office. Working with the rest of the team and the management at Wärtsilä Water & Waste I hope to help implement changes for the betterment of the business. I would like to see a more streamlined PM process with less administrative overhead, redeeming time for the actual planning and delivery of projects.
When not working I enjoy walking and visiting National Trust properties with my wife, Justine. I also enjoy reading and listening to audio books, mainly science fiction and fantasy, but with a fair sprinkling of pure science and history thrown in. I’m also a firm believer in the future of additive manufacturing and 3D Printing and the benefits it can bring to manufacturing. I personally have several 3D Printers which I use to make and sell tools; I design these for the arts and crafts industry. I’m also an avid gamer, when time permits, and regularly run or play games in my local gaming group.