Case studies: Manufacturing engineer: Kate

Kate obtained a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Food and Agricultural Engineering (Bioengineering) from University College Dublin in 2003.

This was a four year course, with the first year being common to all engineering disciplines. The main areas studied in this first year were mechanics, applied maths and physics. In year two, I opted to pursue my chosen discipline and I was excited about the opportunities presented in the food and agriculture industry – one of the largest industries in Ireland and worldwide. In my second year, I was placed in an engineering company that manufactured equipment for the dairy industry. This was a three month period in Britain that I enjoyed immensely. It motivated me to continue on with my studies.
 
After graduating, I secured a place on a graduate programme with one of the country’s leading food and ingredients manufacturers as a process engineer. This was a three year term, spent predominantly working, but also attending lectures periodically with a view to obtaining a certificate in management.
 
The graduate programme itself was quite demanding. From day one, we assumed a lot of responsibility in our jobs and were assessed continually on our performances. It was a sink or swim mentality, but one which I relished. Unless planned, production had to be kept going at all costs. We were paid a salary representative of our position in the industry. This increased every six months for the first eighteen months, and then every year thereafter. In my second year of the programme, I became manager of my department in the company. It was a very challenging role, and it wasn’t a conventional eight hour day either, but that was what kept it so interesting.
 
When my graduate programme ended, I moved onto a dairy company but in a similar engineering role. Apart from managing the normal day to day tasks, there were always several projects on the go. This demanded attention as new and existing products came online or had to be altered in some way during their production. I managed a small, but driven and accomplished team of fitters and electricians.
 
I have since moved to a pharmaceutical company which is involved in the manufacture of a wide range of products and devices. My role has changed, in that I am now more involved in individual projects of my own. The biggest challenge I’ve had to face in this current role is the total compliance and regulative nature in the pharmaceutical industry relative to the food manufacturing industry. Progress is so much slower, but it does happen.
 
My intention at the minute is to remain with this company for the foreseeable future. I am enjoying my role, as the technology is continuously changing and we strive to improve techniques and productivity. In the future, I aim to progress within the management hierarchy.