How long have you been at Meggitt?
I started working as an apprentice at the Birmingham site and have been with the business for over 23 years. After my apprenticeship I was a CNC Operator/Programmer producing heat exchangers for aeroplane engines, a job I enjoyed for the best part of two decades. I now work in the High Performance System team at the fantastic new Ansty Park facility in Coventry.
What made you join?
The secondary school that I attended had an engineering department which exposed me to machining and from that time I knew I wanted a career in Engineering and I saw Aerospace as one of the top fields. Post GCSE I was fortunate to be accepted into Meggitt (or Serck Aviation as it was at the time) for an apprenticeship because in 1998 Birmingham were only looking for one single apprentice!
What area of the business did you start in?
I started in Thermal (formerly Serck Aviation, Tyseley) as an apprentice, a role that saw me rotate through different areas of the Thermal business.
What role are you doing now?
I am now working in Human Resources as a Technical Training Lead, a role that I love because it enables me to interact with many people from across the workforce.
What are the reasons you are still here?
Though the business has gone through a few name changes through the year (Serck Aviation/Dunlop Aerospace Fluid Dynamics/Meggitt/Parker Meggitt), it has always felt like home to me. I really feel that I can be myself or even a better version of myself here at Parker Meggitt and the people are wonderful.
What do you love the most about working here?
I enjoy the cultural journey the most. Meggitt’s Diversity and Inclusion programme is helping to underpin a huge positive culture largely through the Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). ERGs are a fantastic way for employees to shape Meggitt’s culture around subjects that they care about.
I am honoured to be the Chair of our SHINE ERG that is focussed on Mental Health & Disability awareness. We have a huge number of employees that are passionate about the subjects that we promote, all of which have individual experiences that add massive value to our appreciation of Mental Health & Disability.
What you love about apprenticeships or why someone should join the programme today?
Apprenticeships are an incredible way to get trained while getting paid. You will have a huge variety of experiences, meet loads of new people, learn a wide variety of skills and start your career.