Tom Calder-Smith Trainee Development Engineer
Through the Year in Industry programme run by the Engineering Development Trust (EDT), Tom has taken a year out from education to get some ‘real life experience’ before heading off to Oxford University to read Engineering Science. This is Tom’s story …..
It’s been a steep learning curve to learn quickly about the products, processes and safety; not to mention adjusting to working life!”
“My placement began in September 2008, when I spent two months working for a short period in all the departments within Chemring Countermeasures Ltd (CCM), and also completed the Explosives Appreciation course at Cranfield University. It was a steep learning curve, and I had to learn quickly about the products, processes and safety; not to mention adjusting to working life!
After this period I settled down in the Sales and Marketing Department, where I spent much of my time applying for clearances from the MoD and doing research in support of the Sales Managers. I think it was valuable to become aware of this outward facing side of the company in this way, before moving on and experiencing what goes on behind the scenes!
At the start of 2009 I spent three weeks outside of CCM working with the Engineering and Technology Director in the Energetics Division. This was a busy period and in between visiting the sites in the UK and Simmel Difesa in Italy I got an appreciation of the Safety Case process, prepared a report on Body Armour for a potential Cranfield project and learnt a great deal about the operation of another part of the Group.
Having finished in Sales and Marketing I began work in the Technology Department with the Air Countermeasures team. My main responsibility here has been supporting the CIV-IR build, in which I learnt all the processes behind and prepared a report on the building of this novel decoy for civilian aircraft. The understanding I learnt here of the development process, and seeing the transition of a product from technology to production lent some worthwhile context to what I had experienced in Chemring.
With seven months of experience of working for Chemring, I can say that I have greatly enjoyed my time here and both look forward to spending my final three months in the CCM Production Department and hope the relationship continues as I move on to University at the end of the summer!”
Tegan Rochfort Trainee Development Engineer
‘I know that the experience I have gained at Chemring Energetics will be invaluable to me throughout my time at university and also throughout my working life.’
Whilst at school I decided to take a gap year, as I felt I had a lot to gain by experiencing “the real world” before university. I did this for a number of reasons, mainly because I felt I would be able to undertake my studies at university with a greater understanding of their purpose as well as increased motivation as I would know what the final goal was. I joined the Year in Industry, a scheme run by the Engineering Development Trust (EDT), which places students with companies for a year. I joined Chemring Energetics UK Ltd (Ardeer Site) in September 2008 as one of the Group’s first Year in Industry students.
I began my placement in the Engineering and Technology Department. I spent 3 months working on the Bangalore Torpedo development project. During this time I learnt about customer requirements, health and safety, writing operating instructions, risk registers and much more. I also attended trials and learnt about how modifications are made to achieve the desired result. During this time I also completed the Explosives Appreciation course at Cranfield University which enabled me to understand certain parts of the development process in greater depth. There was a lot to learn such as personal conduct, business processes and also how to cope on my own!
After Christmas I joined the Quality and Business Improvement department, where I joined a team dedicated to improving the Metron manufacturing line. Whilst on this team I learnt about Value Stream Mapping, Lean Thinking, Failure Mode and Effect Analysis, and eradicating all defects using Poka Yoke methods. I enjoyed going through the process in detail and discussing ways things could be done differently.
In April I joined the Customer Services Department while still spending some time with the Quality and Business Improvement Department. While in this Department I have gained a greater understanding of the variety of products we produce as well as the variety of customers. This has helped me to link together the process of what happens from conception of a product, to manufacture, to sale. My main responsibility in this Department has been to organise transport of products, keep the databases up to date and to help deal with customer enquiries.
I hope to move on to other departments soon in order to experience as many different sections of the company as possible before going to Swansea University in September to read Chemical and Biochemical Engineering. This will help me to completely understand the full process of creating and selling a product. I have immensely enjoyed my time here especially the variety of work. I know that the experience I have gained will be invaluable to me throughout my time at university and also throughout my working life. I cannot emphasise enough how beneficial this scheme has and will be and I am truly grateful to Chemring for making this experience as enjoyable as it has been.