Colin

Why did you apply to join Kaizen Institute?

Coming from a Mechanical Engineering background and having experienced the automotive industry, I knew of Kaizen's practices and their impact. From my previous experience, I knew I didn’t want to be an engineer stuck to a computer all day and wanted the range of experience consultancy could give me, and the opportunity to be practical. Kaizen Institute’s global structure and the chance to work with the best was too exciting - I’d applied within an hour of seeing the advert!

What are the best things about working here?

What I love about it is the pace. I was dropped straight into two projects within my first week and, so far, have worked with ten different companies across the UK. The breadth of experience and knowledge I’ve gotten already is, arguably, more than I learned in my entire time at university and definitely more useful! One of the best things is that the results of each project are immediately visible, so there’s a real sense that every day is a success.

What do you actually do?

I know it’s a cliché but literally no two days are the same. Typically, I’m either participating in or running workshops to implement or teach Kaizen tools, working closely with people and making an impact! On other days, I could be working from home, planning and preparing my work for the near future, holding a training course, or implementing Kaizen within our organisation.

What training do you receive?

One of the Kaizen mantras is that training should be practical, not in the classroom. We do have formal training courses but 90% of what I’ve learned so far has been from watching, listening and participating in workshops with senior colleagues. I receive and work on feedback each and every day, because how can you be in the continuous improvement business if you’re not continuously improving?

What advice would you give to someone who wants to apply?

Do it now! No, seriously, if you like variety and to make a tangible difference join us. Be prepared for some long days and a lot of travel but I guarantee that if you’re motivated, want exponential learning and progress curves and to travel then this is the job for you.