Here in the latest instalment of our 'Day in the Life Of' series, Project Engineer and STEM Ambassador Chris Blake, who works in our Value Engineering Team, shares his first year in our business. He was interviewed by one of our Apprentices.
So, what have you and the Value Engineering team been up to since you started?
A lot! There are so many VE initiatives which I have been getting involved in. These have ranged from exploring new supply routes, to coming up with alternative designs. One of the projects I am currently working on relates to ceiling-fed deluge shower heads, which should help simplify the installation method.
A real highlight of my year, was a trip last November to China, where we visited with suppliers. It is nice that, as a result of that trip, we are now seeing a lot of new projects being implemented with these suppliers.
Stakeholder engagement is key to everything we do, as even for the simplest of changes, we must engage and work alongside so many different people ranging from Marketing, to ID, to the Engineering teams. This is also one of the parts of the job I enjoy the most as it means I get to work with and build relationships with people across the business.
Why did you want to become a STEM (Science Technology Engineering Maths) Ambassador?
Having done GCSE and A-Level Maths and Physics tuition in my spare time, being given the opportunity to further this passion through work is great to be involved with. I love working with young people, sharing my experiences and getting them interested in science and engineering. I think it is so hard for young people about to leave school to decide what they want to do. I believe it is important to ensure that young people are aware of all the options they have available to them when leaving school, so that they can make the most informed decision possible.
And STEM has become part of my development. I've recently become an Apprentice Manager which means I'll be supporting one of our new Business Apprentices - something I'm really excited about.
What’s the best thing about working for Kohler Mira?
The people and the atmosphere. This is by far the biggest company I have ever worked for, but it manages to maintain a small company friendliness, whilst having all the benefits of being a big company.