IT’S probably fair to say that not very many people really know what being an engineer entails. A somewhat elusive career, we always say that the world wouldn’t be as progressive as it is today without the talents of engineers – they’ve truly given us so much.

 

To give you an insight into the role of an engineer, at least at McGreevy Engineering, we asked our Senior Supervisor Peter Scott, who has been with us for 15 years, to lay out what a typical day in his life looks like and as you can see, it’s incredibly busy!

 

 

Q1. What time do you normally arrive at work and what’s the first thing you do?

 

I aim to arrive 10 minutes before the day starts at 7:30am. The very first thing I do during this time is to get all the machines switched on and on a warm up cycle.

 

Q2. Take us through a typical day – what does it look like for you?

 

After turning all the machines on first thing, I head to my desk, check my emails and log into our ERP system. I then approach each member of the team to ensure they all know their tasks and goals for the day. Then I assess my own goals for the day, which normally includes programming the next job on Mastercam, writing quotations for possible future orders and scheduling the follow-up jobs for each team member. Throughout the day I complete quality control checks on the work being carried out to ensure everyone is on top of their tasks.

 

Q3. What’s your favourite thing about being an engineer?

 

I enjoy the process of receiving a drawing or 3D model of a component and seeing it through to the completed product. I take great pride in ensuring that things are manufactured to the highest standard within customer specifications and that also look aesthetically pleasing.

 

Q4. What’s the most memorable project you’ve ever worked on?

 

A couple of years ago I had the opportunity to machine prototype parts from solid billet aluminium for an amphibious aircraft. It took at least a month to finalise a machining strategy, programme and then machine the completed products. The satisfaction at the end of the whole process made it a very memorable project.

 

Q5. What do you find challenging about being an engineer?

 

There are several challenging aspects about being an engineer. For me one of the toughest challenges is when being presented with a complex part and figuring out the most efficient strategy for machining. However, these challenges make my job even more rewarding.

 

 

Q6. What do you think is the biggest misconception about a career in engineering?

 

The biggest misconception I experienced was just how vast the capabilities of a CNC machine and CAD/CAM software are – the possibilities are endless which is a huge part of the reason why I love working with these machines and software!

 

Q7. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt in your career so far?

 

A main lesson I have learnt since the start of my career is the importance of making mistakes and learning from them. Without these mistakes I don’t think I would be the engineer I am today as each one was a valuable learning experience.

 

Q8. What time does your workday usually finish and how do you like to relax?

Normally my workday will end any time between 4.30pm and 6pm, depending on overtime and workload. To relax on week nights I normally spend time with my other half and my friends. During the weekends I like to be active as much as I can by either heading out for a day trip on my motorbike or getting involved in sporting activities – I have most recently tried my hand at wakeboarding!