Simon Gibson

Simon Gibson
JOB Commissioning and start-up engineer
EMPLOYER Air Products plc
DEGREE MEng chemical engineering (2003)
UNIVERSITY Imperial College, London

Finding a job

I applied to my employer’s sponsorship scheme in my first year at university and was offered a place, which meant I was paid to work for them during summer vacations, was sponsored through university and was offered a place on the graduate training scheme.

My role

‘Commissioning and start-up’ involves taking the constructed equipment and piping and putting it into use to start-up a fully-operational plant. Early in commissioning the control systems and machinery are tested, then auxiliary systems such as cooling water are prepared and brought online. Finally a performance test is done; this establishes that the plant is capable of doing what it was designed for. The things that can (and do) go wrong at the start-up stage keep me on my toes.

Training

I had a two-day induction course including an introduction to the company. The most important element of my early training was the ‘Safety Passport’, which taught me everything I needed to know to work unsupervised on an Air Products site. After one month I had an intensive two-week technical training course, which covered the technology that the company uses and included visits to our manufacturing works and one of our operating facilities (a large plant producing liquid nitrogen and liquid oxygen).

The highs

Never knowing where I’ll be working next makes my work exciting. I’m currently working in Israel – I flew out yesterday having only been given two days’ notice.

The lows

Dealing with awkward customers or project managers can be tough – it is hard work and takes both patience and tact.