Eugene Westenraad

When Eugene Westenraad came to work for Oliver Valves five years ago he was simply looking for a job. What he got was a career with training and development that has shaped his future.

“I came here from a concrete company where I was a salesman,” explained Eugene, “it wasn’t really a secure job. I just wanted something that was a little more long term – I hadn’t thought about becoming an engineer as such.”

But the Human Resources team at Oliver saw raw talent in Eugene and offered him the chance to broaden his skill set by participating in an Advanced Apprenticeship programme comprising of NVQ levels 2 and 3 in engineering and an Advanced Diploma in Engineering and Technology.

“I had not expected to be given this chance when I came to work here. I suppose I thought engineering was a very staid vocation but Oliver feels like a forward thinking, modern institution now,” said Eugene. “The company is investing in me and that makes me feel valued.

“I’m learning so much more by studying for these qualifications than I was when I was just robotically going through the processes on the shop floor.”

Not only is Eugene broadening his skill set, he is also developing an assured confidence in his abilities.

“I can communicate much better with subcontractors now and that’s something I used to find quite daunting. Looking back I feel like I was using Mickey Mouse words when my learning was restricted to the floor. Technically I knew what I was doing but my terminology let me down; that doesn’t happen now.

“I am also learning skills that I wouldn’t ordinarily use here like lathing and tooling which means that when I am talking to suppliers I have a greater understanding of what I am asking them to achieve.”

By embracing forward thinking training options, Oliver is beginning to turn the tide of public opinion when it comes to British engineering.

 “I was at a wedding recently and there was a guy there who had left engineering many years ago because he had become disillusioned with the industry. By the time I’d finished telling him about the opportunities afforded to me at Oliver’s he was asking me to drop in a CV for him. I think the changes here at Oliver are changing the perception of a career in engineering.

“It feels as though I have been given the tools to forge my own career and doors are opening for me.  I can easily see myself getting into research and development in a few years. When I came here I was just looking for a job. Now I feel as though I have a career. I can definitely see myself here in ten years time.”