University - Exeter University
Course - Mechanical Engineering MSc
James Walker is built on a combination of tradition and friendly working communities. The company is hugely supportive of its developing engineers for whom ongoing modernisation and innovation projects provide a broad range of invaluable experiences. This coupled with the companies multinational nature make James Walker a unique employer to develop an engineering career with.
I joined James Walker in a process engineering role straight from University in 2014, and subsequently transferred onto the group graduate programme in 2017. I relocated from Devon to Cumbria for my first placement and settled in with ease, due to the friendly and supportive James Walker community. On my first placement, I was primarily tasked with completing the initial phase of productionising one of the company’s new wind products. I was supported with training on production equipment and the freedom to make proactive decisions between weekly meetings.
My second placement was based in Singapore, where I was tasked with autonomously finding and resolving problems in manufacturing. Part of this involved project managing the relocation of production equipment, from design through to implementation.
Since completing the graduate scheme, I have transferred back to the Cumbria facility, to a permanent role as a process engineer. My main focus has been to support the introduction of a manufacturing method, new to James Walker. I have also run a full investigation into the manufacturing process for one of a our more sensitive products, finding the root causes of problems, identifying solutions and working with the management team to implement solutions.
The short answer is an easy yes! The graduate scheme has been instrumental in building a strong foundation for career progression. It has also allowed worked well in supporting my progression to professional registration with IMeche, created constant networking opportunities and unforgettable global travel experiences.
The management in my department have been exceptionally supportive with regards to developing a route for continued carrier development into the future. The skills and experience gained on the graduate scheme, including part-time study, have provided an huge head start by facilitating a deeper and more diverse understanding of the business and its processes.
It’s tricky to pick one aspect, so here’s a top 3:
Running process engineering for one of the James Walker sites.
In my spare time I enjoy the following hobbies: 3D printing, mountain biking, open source projects, archery, cycling and watching rugby.
My favourite project has been the manufacturing review mentioned above. My brief was completely open; find the problems and fix them. I was entirely at liberty to decide how to proceed. The task enabled me to capitalise on the networking, skills and experience gained due to my participation on the graduate scheme.
Believe in yourself and seize the right opportunities as they present themselves.
From the very start, the company pulled out all the stops to protect its staff. In the Cumbria facility, measures were taken to ensure alcohol gel is available at every entrance and exit. When the government issued its initial advice to work places in mid-2020, James Walker had already exceeded the vast majority of recommendations.
Since then much things have moved on of course and the businesses approach has remained vigilant and rational throughout.