Blog » Louise Bradley

Louise Bradley

14th May 2014

Role: Production Engineer

Company: B/E Aerospace Kilkeel

Track Record: You need to be motivated, focused and work hard

“Engineering is all about problem solving, so we tend to be proactive, constantly curious people with a thirst for problem solving,” says Louise

What does your job entail?

We manufacture a quarter of the world’s commercial airline seats here in Kilkeel so, as you might expect, we have a large team of engineers covering a vast range of specialisms.

I’m one of the production engineering team working within our Manufacturing Engineering Department.

Together, we are involved in many business improvement projects, where we are constantly reviewing processes, optimising efficiencies and looking for innovative solutions that will make a positive impact on our company’s goals to reduce cost, improve quality and exceed customer demands and expectations.

This leads to a lot of project work and I often take on the role of team leader as we look at specific goals or targets to make improvements to the assembly lines or introduce new manufacturing processes.

Is it 9-5?

Sometimes, yes, but when key business improvement projects are online, or are near a critical point, I’m happy to put in the extra hours to get the job done.

There’s always a great buzz about projects as they near completion and we tend to get carried away and forget about time!

How did you get into this line of work?

Right through St Paul’s High School, where I did my GCSEs, and Sacred Heart, where I did my A-levels.

I was thinking of teaching as a career, but I got bitten by the engineering bug and emerged from UUJ with my Honours degree in Technology and Design.

I was lucky enough to secure a graduate placement in a major manufacturing company, which gave me outstanding experience across quality, design, planning, programming and logistics and, armed with this experience, I decided I most enjoyed working close to production as a manufacturing engineer.

Outline your career to date?

My graduate placement earned me an opening in the same company as a manufacturing engineer.

After a year, I was promoted to senior manufacturing engineer and I spent two great and fulfilling years in that role before coming to B/E Aerospace, initially as a manufacturing engineer for six months, but I progressed to my current post as my skills were best suited in this role to help the business move forward.

I’ve already had some great opportunities in my career and the exciting thing is that there are so many more ahead.

In terms of job satisfaction, I love working with other like-minded people and learning from them. Get-ting the chance to lead project teams to aid production is a brilliant and challenging experience.

Tell us about your qualifications/training.

I have a BSc Hons in Technology and Design, and am a member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers.

When you leave university you tend to think that you’re putting formal education behind you — at least for a while — but actually, in engineering, this is when the learning really ramps up.

I’ve been really fortunate to be able to build my CV through Training within Industry (TWI) job instruction and job methods training, covering everything from Lean Processes to Six Sigma Green Belt project management, presentation skills and Electronic Value Stream Mapping… to name but a few topics!

Ongoing training is a high priority with B/E Aerospace and I am currently involved in our Step Up 2 Programme.

This is an ILM level five course which has selected 12 employees who are proactively developed for the next stage in their careers.

Over a year, Step Up 2 includes developing your personal goals as well as working on a Business Improvement Project, developing core competencies and business skills.

You also have regular meetings with a specially assigned internal and an external coach, who help you with any personal or business improvement action plans.

It’s a fantastic support system and it’s already encouraging me to keep on stretching towards the next goal.

What qualities are required for your job — personal and professional?

You need to be motivated, focused and prepared to work hard both as part of a team and on your own initiative.

Engineering is all about problem-solving, so we tend to be proactive, constantly curious people with a thirst for problem solving.

Less obviously perhaps, you also need to be a good communicator who is able to influence and encourage people… and a sense of fun, coupled with a positive attitude, make the day go in better!

You are meant to enjoy work after all!

What are the biggest challenges and rewards of your work?

I think the challenges and rewards are often the same things.

Constant change is central to our work and no projects are ever the same.

That variety is stimulating, but you do have to be open-minded and able to adapt to regular change.

I enjoy seeing the projects I’ve been involved in making positive impact on the business and I like working with a variety of people and teams.

There’s a great atmosphere here in Kilkeel and a good social life too, particularly amongst the younger engineers.

Quite a few of us commute and we have good car pooling arrangements, which not only takes the hassle out of travel, but builds friendships too.

One of the big benefits of working with B/E Aero-space is the opportunity to travel, especially to our other plants in America.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I enjoy keeping fit with running and spin classes.

I like to spend time with family and friends… and love walking  with my special four-footed friend, my black Lab, Jack.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.

I have a keen interest in cars and off-road bikes.

Who has inspired you most in your life?

My parents have always shown dedication, engagement, drive, ambition, integrity, excellence and commitment in everything they have done, setting a great pattern for me in life.

As I was growing up, they gave me so many opportunities to develop these core attributes and they have always been behind me in building my career.

 

They taught me to be responsible, trustworthy and give 100% effort into anything I do and I know that trying to emulate my parents will support not only my future career, but will also help me to have a happy and fulfilling life.

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