OAL News
Spotlight on a career as Project Coordinator
Sharon Proctor is a Project Coordinator working in the OAL Connected team at OAL. She lives in Peterborough with her husband Richard.
Day in the life of…
Sharon Proctor
Sharon Proctor, is an Project Coordinator working in the OAL Connected team at OAL. She lives in Peterborough with her husband Richard.
My alarm goes off…
At 6.30. We get up straight away as we have three cats who won’t let us sleep a moment longer when food is on the cards! I have breakfast with my husband and then get dressed and ready for work. Before leaving, I make us a packed lunch and then we hit the road for the short journey into work.
I’m responsible for…
Coordinating the administration for the OAL Connected team and their projects to ensure the smooth running of the whole department – I keep the team and our customers happy!
I got the job…
Originally around ten years ago. I started out as OAL’s receptionist and administration assistant, then progressing to office coordinator, a role I had for several years. Around two years ago I took on my current position in the OAL Connected team, having expressed an interest in moving into this department. When I moved to OAL Connected, I was amazed by how much I learned even though I had already been in the company for eight years!
My typical day…
Always starts by checking in with the team to make sure that everyone knows what each one of us is up to for the day; the guys are usually travelling all over the place visiting customers or carrying out support, so it’s a good way to start the day. I also double check that all arrangements have been made for those who are travelling so that no one is left stranded anywhere!
Then I start to work through ongoing projects, making sure that every aspect is accounted for to ensure accurate costs are logged and checking stock levels so that costs are controlled and we always have the right inventory for our customers.
My most memorable moment…
And the one that has had the most lasting impact on me is the fact that I met my now husband while working here! We met on my first day, had our first date a year later and then got married two years ago! (And we still work and live together very happily!)
The worst part of my job is…
Can be that we’re a team which is often subject to last minute changes! It keeps me on my toes at least!
The best part of my job is…
Getting to work with so many different people every day. The nature of the role means I need to work with every member of the OAL Connected team so it keeps my day interesting!
After work…
I like to go walking with my husband and we can usually be found hitting the pavements wherever we need to go (distance permitting!) We have also recently discovered our love of cruising as it’s a great way to explore many cities in one holiday so we always like to be planning our next adventure! And of course, we spend a lot of time pampering our three truly spoiled cats!
Interested in a career at OAL? We have a range of roles available and are always looking for talented individuals to join the team!
Spotlight on a career as a Senior Robotics Design Engineer
Michal Such, 32, is a Senior Robotics Design Engineer working in APRIL Robotics at OAL. He lives in Peterborough with his wife Joanna.
Day in the life of…
Michal Such
Michal Such is a Senior Robotics Design Engineer working in APRIL Robotics at OAL. He lives in Peterborough with his wife Joanna.
My alarm goes off…
At 6:30 am – I get up straight away and prepare breakfast and lunch. I leave home with my wife at 7:50 am and drop her off in the centre where she works, then drive to OAL.
I’m responsible for…
Designing our robotic systems. Most of my time is spent designing mechanical components, which includes fatigue analysis using Finite Element Analysis. We do a lot of robotic simulation that allows me to minimise the risks associated with automation. I also perform different robot studies and ensure that the cycle time complies with customer requirements and efficiency goals.
I got the job…
Thanks to my degree and experience in Automation and Robotics as well as good knowledge of the food industry. I wanted to continue my adventure in mechanical engineering and to find a company which combines automation and robotics within the food industry. Once I discovered what OAL can offer – developing innovative market solutions that nobody has yet designed – I knew that this was a company I wanted to work for!
My typical day…
Kicks off with a stand-up meeting with the entire team to sum up our progress. After that I grab a cup of coffee and go through my task list and emails. From there I get straight into the most important job I have for the day, which could be anything from designing new components, prototyping, simulation, testing or just supporting my team members.
My most memorable moment…
Is seeing a part that I have designed going into prototyping and then into final production – it never gets old!
The worst part of my job is…
Detailing components. Detailing is an integral part of a design engineer’s job and is the least interesting!
The best part of my job is…
Working on challenging tasks like designing something new and difficult. The more challenging the job, the greater the satisfaction, of course only if it has been done right.
After work…
I pick up my wife from work, drive home, we cook dinner together and chill out either by watching a film, working out or just spending time together.
Sound intriguing? We’re growing, and always on the look-out for talented and ambitious people. If you’re interested in a career at OAL, get in touch today.
Spotlight on a career as a Technical Trainer
A day in the life of Faye Louch, our OAL Connected Technical Trainer. She has over 20 years’ experience in a variety of technical and quality control roles within the food industry.
Day in the life of…
Faye Louch
Faye Louch is OAL Connected’s Technical Trainer. She has over 20 years’ experience in a variety of technical and quality control roles within the food industry.
My alarm goes off…
At 6am, although I am usually already awake thinking about the day ahead. I get up and have breakfast, and when I am at home, I say morning to the hubby and dog. Before leaving for work, I hide some treats around the house for the dog and put the radio on for him before setting off for another busy day at work. I will also usually give my son a quick call to check in with him and how he is getting on at uni.
I’m responsible for…
The training and health check audits of our label and date code verification systems in the field. The systems work by scanning every pack and comparing it to the pre-entered job information on the master database to make sure that the right packaging, label and date code is on the right product to prevent product recalls and emergency product withdrawals. The system can be perceived as quite complex, so my job is to train the users to make the most of it and ensure that we provide them with maximum protection.
I got the job…
After my son went off to university and I decided to take stock of what I wanted to do. While considering my options, I saw the job at OAL and applied. As I’m not an engineer, I didn’t think I would get it. However, OAL really valued my 20 years’ experience in the food industry, working in various roles from operator and section manager on production, to QA manager in a factory and technical system quality manager. I think it also helped that I enjoy systems and understand customer codes of practice (COP)!
I have to admit to being a little nervous when I first started at OAL but everyone is so friendly; it’s like a big family! We all pitch in and help each other, which is one of the things I love about working here.
My typical day…
Involves helping our customers to understand the information they input to the supervisory area of our system and how this data is translated and appears on the touchscreen that operators use on the factory floor. This screen offers all of the information they need and links to printers and scanners so they no longer need to set up printers by manually inputting the dates – this is where things can go wrong!
The other part of my job is visiting all of our sites that have our system and carrying out a health audit. This is like a check up on the system to ensure that it’s still functioning correctly post-installation. I also check it against OAL and customer COPs to ensure the system is compliant. If a COP has changed, I highlight any parts of the system that are no longer compliant so that fixes can be developed to ensure that the system is the best it can be for our customers. I also challenge test the system and look for ways to improve it.
My most memorable moment…
Was when we had the pleasure of BRC (British Retail Consortium) representatives visiting our facility to take them through our label and date code verification systems. After reviewing BRC COP issue 8, we had the pleasure of hosting them at our facilities to discuss their recommendations in detail, as well as practical applications. This helps our customers when it comes to audits going forward as the BRC representatives will understand our systems and interpret the standard reasonably.
The worst part of my job is…
Trying to keep on top of my emails, especially when I’m out on-site all day!
The best part of my job is…
That every day is different. I love working with our customers and seeing a job through from set-up to going live. Also, I love it when the operators I work with in the factory are a little reticent about the our systems, yet when you go back six months or a year later, those same operators take pride in it and train others on it – this really make it all worthwhile and is a pleasure to see.
After work…
I like to relax by going walking and once or twice a week I also go Taekwondo. My son is part of the GB Taekwondo Squad, and although he is away at university, I still spend a lot of time taking him training and competitions or train stations! Due to his passion for the sport, I agreed to take part with him rather than just watching. This means that now, I too love the sport and have achieved the level of black belt. I also took the Sports England Level 2 coaching qualification so I’m a qualified coach too!
Like the sound of what Faye gets up to? We’re always on the look-out for great talent and have a number of vacancies. If you’re interested in a career with OAL, get in touch today.
Spotlight on a career as a Product Development Chef
A day in the life of Chris Brooks 52, our Product Development Chef. He has over 35 years’ experience as a chef and has spent over 20 years in product development. He lives in East Northamptonshire.
Day in the life of…
Chris Brooks
Chris Brooks is OAL’s Product Development Chef. He has over 35 years’ experience as a chef and has spent over 20 years in product development. He lives in East Northamptonshire.
My alarm goes off…
At 5.30. I get up, walk the dog, have some breakfast and leave the house at 7.15 ready for another busy day.
I can be at the office in Cambridgeshire or working with the University of Lincoln at the National Centre for Food Manufacturing (NCFM), part of their Holbeach Campus. I also do quite a bit of travelling to customer sites all around the globe (in February it was Australia!) to help them make the most of our Steam Infusion technology.
I’m responsible for…
Supporting our customers with anything they may need to enable Steam Infusion to improve their end products. This involves both remotely connecting with the customer as well as spending time with them face to face, either at our test centre or at their site. Whether it’s the new product development team, the technical department or operations, I’m here to help them understand the technology and demonstrate how they can innovate with our systems. I assist in the writing of recipes, pushing the boundaries of taste and giving customers the confidence to utilise the science behind Steam Infusion to produce unique customer solutions.
I got the job…
Thanks to my in-depth knowledge of the food industry having worked with many major retailers along with household brands such as Saxby Bros, Hartley’s and Whitworths to name a few. I’ve also worked on products for celebrity chefs, such as Antony Worrall Thompson, Delia Smith and Mary Berry – so I have a good grasp of what both manufacturers and consumers are looking for. A well-rounded understanding of mechanical engineering and my experience as an army chef possibly helped too.
My typical day…
No day is the same as I could be doing any number of things. Often I’m working onsite anywhere around the world supporting customers in their tests or helping them to optimise their recipes for the technology. But I also have to spend time at the office working on recipes and formulations. The best thing about my job is there is no typical day!
My most memorable moment…
Of my time at OAL was definitely when we first cooked a sauce on the APRIL Robotic Chef. It really is a sight to be seen, especially how it pours rather than pumps the end product!
The worst part of my job is…
Knowing there is so much more Steam Infusion can do and not having the time to push the boundaries more. Oh, and the washing up after customers have left but even that isn’t too bad!
The best part of my job is…
Working with customers to help resolve any problems, watching their faces when they first see Steam Infusion and how quickly it works. I get to work with some fantastic people and I never stop learning.
After work…
I spend most evenings playing taxi to my son, taking him to his many clubs. I am a basketball referee, which I have my son to thank for as I wanted to get involved after spending so much time watching him play! I also support my local branch of The Royal British Legion where I have been their Standard Bearer for over 10 years helping to support our veterans and serving armed forces.
Fancy getting involved with projects with Chris? We’re growing and want to hear from enthusiastic and ambitious people. If you’d like to join the team, get in touch today.
Spotlight on a career in customer support
Latest in a new series from OAL, a day in the life of our fantastic employees. Joshua Pembery, 26, is a Trainee Customer Support Engineer at OAL Connected. He lives in March, Cambridgeshire.
Day in the life of…
Josh Pembery
Joshua Pembery is a Customer Support Engineer at OAL Connected. He lives in March, Cambridgeshire.
My alarm goes off…
At 6.30 – this gives me enough time to get up, get myself ready and leave the house for 7.30 ready to start another day at the office.
I’m responsible for…
Supporting our customers with any issues that they may have with their equipment. This involves both remotely connecting with the customer, whether it’s the engineering team, the technical department or operators themselves, to help them resolve any problems that have arisen on a line or visiting the site itself if they need a little more support and guidance. I’m also responsible for quoting and supplying spare parts and replacements to our customers. As this is a growing part of our business, I’ve recently taken on the responsibility of launching our e-commerce platform to offer customers a new way to purchase spare parts and training from OAL Connected. Customers expect to be able to deal with us online and we want to make it as easy as possible for them to get what they need to make the most of their systems - it’s been a great project to work on.
I got the job…
By taking a recommendation from a colleague of mine who had joined OAL. We had completed an apprenticeship at Nestlé together and it was there I gained my Level 3 in Proficiency in the Food Industry, which gave me knowledge and experience working in food. He had already made the move to OAL and was really positive about the culture and the values of the business, which did tempt me. At first, I wasn’t sure about the role, as the idea of a traditional customer service position didn’t really fit into my career plans. However, once I talked to OAL and explored the role further, I realised it there was so much more to the job and it would allow me to develop new skills and gain new experience so I’m really glad I pursued this career.
My typical day…
I get to work anywhere between 8:00am and 8:30am, depending on traffic. I make my morning cup of tea, check my emails for anything that’s come in overnight, and make my plan for the day ahead. Typically I could be doing anything from web development, to working with the support team, fixing things such as accessibility, as well as always being on standby for any queries that come in by email or phone from customers.
My most memorable moment…
Of my time at OAL so far is being asked to drive forward our e-commerce sales capabilities. It was great to be given so much responsibility and I realised that the company has real trust in me and was vested in my development. It’s great to work in a company that values its team.
The worst part of my job is…
Long distance drives travelling alone to customer sites – music only stays interesting for so long!
The best part of my job is…
Meeting customers, especially after speaking to them a lot on the phone – it’s always nice to put a face to a name and feel that you’ve made a real connection. I also love getting to work on projects by myself – it’s a great feeling of accomplishment when I complete them, and it helps me see how far I’ve come since I started.
After work…
I usually go home, have dinner and a shower and then do whatever I have planned for the evening, whether it’s going out to see a friend or family, or having a quiet night in playing some games.