Planning Engineer Review

My job involves organising the outages happening in the Power Plant. This can range from small pieces of equipment coming off for maintenance of large scale statutory outages. Included in this is organising the contractors, budgets, maintenance tasks etc. I am also in charge of relating information from other sections of the plant to my team from other planners as other departmental changes can affect our workload.

I am required to use Microsoft Project Planner as part of my role which I had no experience of before. My skills in using other Microsoft packages such as Excel have improved hugely. Outside of the office, I have learned a lot about mechanical devices such as pumps and pipework and the impact of changes to systems around the site. There are several different types of systems in TATA which require a lot of forward planning before maintenance can be completed on them.

I enjoy the training programme set for me. The inclusion of time set aside to complete NVQ and college requirements shows that the company understands how important it is to get this work done. The changes between office work, theoretical work included in training courses and practical skills mean that there is a varied approach to learning throughout the programme.

The programme was set from the beginning of my time with TATA with clear guidelines and milestones being given. There are several required training courses which I was invited to immediately along with the other apprentices and graduates. While the structure is secure with training milestones, an individual must also guide themselves throughout their training and work with the relevant people on site who are able to assist them with a particular topic.

There is so much support from TATA in ensuring that training is completed. Frequent 1-2-1 meetings with my line manager, assistance through training courses and time given to complete work outside of day to day tasks such as college assignments all help to create a supportive atmosphere. Training is also provided for everything on site, with no expectations of knowing everything without training and experience in the field. While some companies may expect a lot from new starters, TATA understand that there is a learning curve to be followed and that starts on your first day.

Bridgend College have given me a lot of support with completing my assignments. Throughout the pandemic, the college has provided online lessons with relevant and direct information. All the documents used for teaching have been collected on Google Classroom for later dates so I can review again if I get lost and clear open communication with tutors through emails assists with achieving goals.

Achieving a HND will improve my overall knowledge of mechanical systems which are used commonly around site. Vibrations, fluid flows, pipework systems are all included in the qualification which are all important aspects to mechanical engineering. Understanding how these can affect systems on the plant can help with finding solutions to issues that arise. Without the HND knowledge, it would be more difficult to organise tasks as I would have limited experience with complex systems. Having the background information from this course assists when it comes to putting it into practice on site.

Due to the pandemic, many of these have been postponed. Typically, there are many activities, including the Magnet Monthly Social, sporting events, community days in Port Talbot. There are also opportunities for people to gather from different departments and network on varying issues in training events and conferences. As TATA is a worldwide company, there are also opportunities for people to communicate with a variety of cultures and backgrounds.

Yes

It is clear that TATA respects its employees and is willing to provide clear and relevant training to anyone. With such a wide variety of job roles, there is always something new to learn. A fair pay rate and good holiday management provides a relatively flexible work/life balance. I have never felt that people expect me to be able to do something which I have not been adequately training for, and by doing this, will provide me with the relevant knowledge wherever possible. I always feel like I am learning something during my time with TATA.

Show what you are capable of. Having an interest in your discipline will provide you with opportunities to learn more. Show that you are self-sufficient, able to take on challenges but seek assistance from others when required. Being open to working as part of a team is a necessity as there is so much that cannot be completed by one person. Working with and helping others can go along way in progressing your career, so show that you can play an important part in a complex team of people.