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Philippa Gillings
 
MEng Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College - 2003
 
When I left university, I never thought that within 15 months I would be running a factory with 60 operatives to manage and where the first major investment in 10 years was being made. The responsibility seemed quite daunting at first. But with so much on my plate and a lot of support around me, there was just no time to worry about anything other than the job at hand.
 
I started out as a Production Engineer. Well that was what they called it: I spent time on production planning, improving the maintenance systems, introducing new equipment to the site, doing anything and everything.
 
My big break came when the production manager moved elsewhere for a while and I was given full responsibility for the plant until he returned. It was a big challenge, but I have received great support from my boss. She has a great passion for the job and we get on well. I have also gained total buy-in from the guys in the factory, without which life would certainly have been a lot tougher.
 
Amidst all of this I have even had the chance to receive some off-the-job training. I have just returned from the Saint-Gobain International New Managers programme, which was held in Brazil.

In 2006 I started to learn French in order to assist me with a 2 month assignment in France, examining best practice to implement on return to the UK. On returning to the UK in July 2006 I commenced working within the Technical Support Group. Although the team are based in Coventry I spent 3 days a week in Motherwell and divided the rest of my time between the 21 other sites throughout the UK, leading an improvement project in the maintenance area. I then moved to Motherwell on a full time basis, as Operations Development Manager, this gave me the breadth of experience I required, before I progressed into the Business Management role in 2008 as Business Manager for the Brisol RDC business.

For me a job at Solaglas is what you make of it. If you have the passion and commitment, wonderful opportunities turn up. All you have to do is seize them.