It’s National Apprentice Week! We are taking part by sharing an apprentice story from Josh – our Apprentice Technical Service Engineer. Josh is training to commission, service and maintain Starfrost cooling systems and is a valuable member of the team.
How did you become involved with Starfrost?
I became involved with Starfrost in 2020 when looking for a job experience placement within the engineering sector. Starfrost gave me an opportunity to learn about the business, which in turn led to the placement of an apprenticeship, working in the Technical Service Engineering department.
What attracted you to the industrial cooling/freezing industry and to Starfrost in particular?
When I was offered my apprenticeship at Starfrost, I was already studying a EAL Level 3 Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering at college, I had previously worked with the business and really enjoyed my time there.
I also felt like I could really learn from the Technical Service team. When Starfrost offered me an opportunity as an apprentice engineer, the position sounded like the ideal route for me to expand my engineering knowledge as well as work within the cooling industry, which was a sector I wanted to be a part of.
Describe your apprenticeship/training progress with Starfrost?
Most of my training has been gained by working alongside senior engineers on site, which involves commissioning, servicing and technical fault finding. Starfrost have also provided other training courses such as a confined space and IOSH managing safely course, which has helped boost my knowledge when working on site.
What does your current role involve?
My current role consists of both office and site related work. Working on site is a crucial part of being a Technical Service Engineer. The job involves commissioning, service and maintenance of a Starfrost machine.
Service is a large part of the role, and involves building a good relationship with customers which has definitely improved my communication skills and confidence over the last few months.
When I am office based I help complete the technical aspects of a project. This consists of control panel specifications, O&M manuals and ordering electrical components for projects. I strongly believe that this has helped boost my communication skills by working with colleagues, suppliers and contractors to meet deadlines and make sure we are completing the job to a high quality standard.
What do you enjoy most about your job, and what are the biggest challenges you face?
I love being involved in all stages of a project progression – from start to finish, which Starfrost have encouraged and supported me with. I also really enjoy travelling the world to visit the different customer sites and seeing the manufactured equipment in operation.
I would say technical fault finding and resolution are both good challenges to sink your teeth into, being able to rectify any potential issues is a very important part of an engineer’s job.
Have you got any career highlights so far?
In the short time I have been with Starfrost, I have been able to progress quickly within my role. I have used my own initiative with maintenance and technical faults whilst on site, I feel these experiences have helped me improve my communication skills as well as learning to work well under pressure.
Where do you see your career progressing?
Once I have completed my apprenticeship, I would like to be a fully qualified Technical Engineer and have a leading role in the engineering department at Starfrost.
What excites/interests you about the industry?
I find the food manufacturing industry very exciting, being involved with Starfrost service means you are always travelling to different sites and interacting with new customers, as well as, constantly being exposed to new challenges which I enjoy.
Apprentices bring so many benefits to our sector, and help build the future for all industries. We’re proud to be part of our apprentices’ learning journey and to provide them with hands-on experience alongside our team of technical engineers.
To find out more about the job opportunities at Starfrost, please contact us or visit: https://www.starfrost.com/latest-news/we-are-recruiting/
Apprentice Story from Josh – Apprentice Technical Service Engineer