Chris Bunce: Gurit manager

Employer: Gurit (formerly SP Systems)
University: University of Bath
Subject: BEng materials science and engineering
Postgraduate university: University of Bath
Postgraduate subject: MSc composite materials

My background

 I joined my current employer having worked briefly for a large aerospace organisation. I was immediately immersed in a number of interesting projects relating to development of composite materials for a wide range of applications in the wind energy, automotive and marine markets. The variety of work suited me and I really enjoyed the dynamism of a smaller organisation. I started out working as a lab technician, learning about our products and developing commercial skills, and progressed quickly to a role with responsibility for new product development. At this time I also started visiting some of our major customers alongside experienced account engineers, before gaining customer accounts of my own and having technicians reporting to me.

My current role

Having worked as an account engineer for a number of years, I’ve recently been promoted to account engineering manager, which involves managing a team of account engineers and technicians as well as my own customers. In my account engineering role I support our customers by providing technical expertise that enables them to use our products effectively for their applications. This can involve advising them on the best material to use to meet a specification or setting things in place to explore how an existing material could be developed to better suit their purpose or manufacturing environment. We develop a wide range of products including resins, coatings, adhesives, prepregs and laminates, and in-depth knowledge of all of them is essential. However, this specialist knowledge needs to be combined with good communication and problem-solving skills. My aim is to build strong relationships with customers so that they know they can rely on us for a good solution when they are faced with a problem. Cultural awareness is also essential, since I deal with clients in a number of different countries.

My training and key skills

My degrees have provided me with fundamental knowledge of materials, but thereafter I’ve learned everything on the job as many key skills cannot be taught in a classroom. A wealth of training and mentorship from experienced engineers has always been available and learning this way showed me how important it is to develop good relationships with colleagues throughout the business. It was also vital to gain an understanding of how the business works to develop commercial awareness.

Balancing work and life

My employer is based on the Isle of Wight, and both the company and the island have a strong sense of community. I don’t live on the island, but it’s easy to get the fast ferry across the Solent. I typically work from 8.30 am to 5.00 pm and during that time I am very busy and my days go by very quickly. I enjoy windsurfing and sailing in my spare time, so living on the south coast is perfect for keeping up with these activities.

Top Tips

• Being interested in what your employer does makes working life more enjoyable.
• Think about where you want to live – will the location help you to keep up with your interests and any sporting activities you like doing?