Martin the multiskilled Proposals and Sales Engineer
Hello, my name is Martin. When I left school in 1999, I started in employment with J&E Hall (Birkenhead service branch) with a 4 year craft apprenticeship scheme. I'm now a Design & Proposals Engineer at J&E Hall (Applied Contracting Division – Leeds)
How did you start working at in the RACHP industry? I was fortuitous enough to start an indentured craft apprenticeship scheme following my GCSEs at high school.
What attracted you to the industry? Within the RACHP industry you are expected to understand and make use of a range of multi discipline skills to design, install, repair and maintain equipment. The diversity attracted me to the industry as each installation is different in its application, providing the requirement for continuous development along with every day becoming a new challenge.
What kind of training did you receive - i.e. apprenticeship, NVQ, etc and how long for? Craft apprenticeship 4 Years including NVQ Level 2 R&AC (2 Years), NVQ Level 3 (2 Years), followed by an HNC Electronic Engineering (2 Years) and a BSc (Hons) Building Services Engineering (2 Years). I also have various CPD & in-house training has been provided along with other vocational courses such as Ammonia handling, F-Gas 2079 etc.
What do you specialise in now, or what kind of projects do you work on? How different is it to your previous role? I specialise in the design and sales of industrial & commercial refrigeration equipment. Predominantly within the food & beverage industry, including distribution centres ,abattoirs, breweries & food manufacturing facilities.
How has being in different roles been of benefit to you and the job you do for customers? My previous roles include commissioning and servicing equipment which formed a good understanding and practical foundation for my current design role. Refrigeration is often based around the practicalities of the installation as much as the number crunching.
What do you enjoy most about your job, and what are the biggest challenges you face? Advancing with new technologies to enhance performance and efficiencies, whilst ensuring we limit our environmental impact which is most important for our future.
Any general career highlights? Achieving my Bachelor’s degree whilst in full time employment.
What do you like about your job? Every day being a new challenge that requires continuous learning and development. Working alongside a team of skilled individuals has been an important part of enjoying my role.
Where do you see your role progressing in the next few years? I aim to progress to become an Incorporated Engineer then Chartered Engineer. This may allow progression to a senior technical role with the possibility of product and application development.
What advice would you give to young people who are just starting a similar career to you? The industry provides many avenues to learn and progress. Whether this be a young person leaving school and starting an apprenticeship or a graduate leaving university to start an academic career. The industry will no doubt always thrive and require skilled individuals. Although not always a nine to five job, if you have a keen aptitude for learning and are self-motivated then you will enjoy and succeed within the industry.
How has being a member of the IOR helped your career development? The IOR has increased knowledge sharing. Providing regular updates to new legislations or new equipment keeps me abreast of the ever evolving refrigerants and technology. A must to anyone within the industry.