Gavin Jack

Gavin Jack
JOB Mechanical equipment engineer
EMPLOYER KBR
AREA OF WORK engineering design and construction
DEGREE MEng mechanical engineering (2003)
UNIVERSITY University of Southampton

Finding a job

I decided I wanted to work in oil and gas engineering design and construction due to the size and complexity of the projects involved. I attended careers fairs, read my careers service’s guide and other publications, and then sent off CVs and application forms to a number of employers in the industry.

My role

My key responsibility is to specify mechanical equipment that meets the necessary requirements for oil and gas producing facilities. I select the best technical solution proposed by equipment suppliers and am then responsible for managing the contract we place to ensure our requirements are met. The size, value and complexity of equipment is often very high, for example I managed contracts with values in excess of £1 million from very early on in my career.

Training

I was assigned to work on the engineering design of a large oil and gas production facility from the day I started, so training has been mostly on the job. However, there is the management support structure in place to make sure I get the technical training I need to become a chartered mechanical engineer. I have also been selected for the ‘Future Leaders Programme’ which has given me further leadership training.

The highs

Working in a large multidisciplinary project team to develop solutions to problems under tight time constraints can be exciting and it is satisfying when you work together to achieve a successful result.

The lows

There is a generation gap in the industry. However, this is changing and it means there are plenty of opportunities opening for graduates.