Supporting our colleagues and investing in our people is key to achieving our strategic goals across Chemring. We promote a values-based culture to create a workplace in which everyone can excel and develop in their careers with Chemring.
Meet Ben, the Chemistry Support Team Leader at Chemring Energetics UK (“CEUK”), based in Ardeer, Scotland. Here, Ben shares how he has progressed in his career and gained confidence during his time with Chemring.
Tell us a bit about your current role
I am responsible for the safety and efficiency of the Chemistry Support Department in collectively producing analytical results for CEUK and our customers. I am heavily involved in maintaining team relations, ensuring timelines are consistently met. This includes training staff in analytical techniques and completing analytical testing myself.
Describe your career path to date
I’ve been with CEUK for five and a half years now, starting off with a one-year temporary contract as an analyst before being taken on as a permanent staff member. After this, my role was changed to Chemist, following the amalgamation of the analytical and chemistry departments. Finally, I gained the title of Chemistry Support Team Leader after applying for an internal promotion within the labs.
I was always interested in continuous progression and was on the lookout for opportunities, but I was also encouraged by my colleagues to put myself forward for the role of team leader. This support brought me a lot of confidence that I was doing the right thing.
The analyst role was my first full time job after university, so when I started with Chemring I didn’t know what to expect. My main aim was to gain as much experience as possible to become more employable. Through the years here, I became very settled and have continued to progress and grow in confidence.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I enjoy the variety of my role, and this makes my days move at a fast pace. It is the way I enjoy working and allows me to feel like I am contributing to the department’s heavy workload.
What has been a career highlight to date?
Becoming the Chemistry Support Team Leader has been my main highlight. It has shown how far I have come in the last five years developing my confidence and people skills.
What professional development or training have you completed?
During my time with Chemring, I have taken part in the Early Careers course, as well as completing assertiveness training and mentoring training related to my leadership role. I’ve also done specific training courses related to my job, including analytical training, Corrective and Preventative Action (“CAPA”) training, and the Cranfield Explosive Awareness course.
Looking ahead, using my skills and training, I aspire to become a Subject Matter Expert for as much of the Chemistry Support Department as possible.
What advice would you give to anybody starting a career in Chemring today?
My advice would be to use the experience that exists all around Chemring. There are a lot of knowledgeable people that can lead new starters in the right direction and if you listen to them, you can learn a lot. Patience is also important in this technical and specialist industry. There is a lot to learn, but don’t try tackle it all in one go.