Here at Hutcheon Examination Services Limited (HESL) we take great pride in the quality of work that we do. A large part of that is down to our team of Engineer Surveyors who bring both skill and knowledge to every inspection and examination.
We recently added to our team – Kai Meggison, a passionate apprentice engineer with great experience already under his belt. We chatted to Kai to find out more about what led him to this field.
A diversified skillset
Kai joined us from a filtration company where he was working as a service engineer. When the business expanded its services and began offering local exhaust ventilation (LEV) system testing, Kai’s interest was sparked. He completed an LEV testing certificate (P601) and began conducting LEV examinations in addition to his primary role. Keen for more experience in the testing field, Kai looked to move full-time into LEV testing and secured a role with HESL.
“What I really like about Hutcheon was obviously the fact they focus on testing, such as LEV, LOLER and PUWER. But I also liked the small, tight knit team who made me feel very welcome and make the time to share their knowledge and experience with me.”
A focus on further education
Kai is also continuing with his studies, working towards his Level 4 Engineer Surveyor qualification at Fareham College, part of the South Hampshire College Group, thanks to a programme created in conjunction with trade association SAFed (Safety Assessment Federation) and two member companies, Allianz and Zurich.
The course has been structured to deliver the best of both worlds, theory and practice, with the formal learning component taking place in blocks at the college’s high-tech, award-winning Civil Engineering Training Centre (CETC). This enables Kai and other students to focus on theory for two weeks at a time and then take that knowledge to work in the field gaining valuable practical skills and experience to supplement the classroom component.
“So far I’m really enjoying being part of the Hutcheon team and learning every day. I am fully qualified to carry out LEV testing, and in addition I’m getting first-hand knowledge of how to conduct other examinations, like LOLER or PUWER. In fact just today, I carried out LEV testing of a welding booth for a client, and then assisted another HESL engineer in carrying out the LOLER exam on the same site.”
Becoming an engineer surveyor
We asked Kai what made him choose this career path and if he had any advice for anyone looking to go down the apprenticeship route.
“I really enjoy the variety in the job, visiting different sites and environments. I also like the freedom of being able to travel to a site, get the job done and then look forward to the next job. I’ve already learnt such a lot from HESL, gaining such valuable insights on the job and just being around such a qualified and experienced team. My advice to people interested in becoming an engineer is never stop learning. Always look for ways to upskill yourself and courses you can do.”
Taking his own advice, Kai’s much longer-term goal is to achieve a Certificate of Competence in engineering, so watch this space as we keep you informed on his progress.
If you’d like to explore your career options and work with Kai and the HESL team, visit our careers page or get in touch.
