• Question: what is the best and worst part of your job?

    Asked by vary134raw on 23 Jun 2021.
    • Photo: Chloe James

      Chloe James answered on 23 Jun 2021:

      The best part of my job is knowing the work that I’m doing is helping to keep people safe in real life. Without the data that my team provide, those on board the ship would have a much harder time to complete maintenance and keep themselves safe.

      The worst bit about my job (or rather, the most frustrating thing) is how priorities work. Sometimes, we might be working on a project that is high priority for us. However, an engineer at a different site might be working on a different high priority project. If we need information, we often need to contact other engineers. If our project isn’t a high priority for them, it can mean that we wait a bit longer to receive the information, which can make the difference when you have a strict deadline coming up!

    • Photo: Caroline Roche

      Caroline Roche answered on 23 Jun 2021:

      The best part of the job is seeing the working system at the factory and hearing from the people who are using it that we did a good job.

      The worst part is when we get a change in documentation request. All our documents are approved by the factory before we start, but sometimes after approval they will request a change in how its presented or if a standard that we need to work too changes mid project. This means going through all the documentation and making sure it still meets what they want.

    • Photo: Louise Wood

      Louise Wood answered on 23 Jun 2021:

      Worst part is installation projects. It can be super stressful because this is the point of a project where we have to rely on others. We have to hire in machinery such as cranes, forklifts and cherry pickers (man lift basket). Others let you down. We get on site for 7am (anywhere in the country) but the hired bits we need might not be delivered unit lunch. Or they may have delivered it early but another contractor has pinched it. Its a battle to keep on top of everything and keep the momentum we need to get the job fitted safely yet efficiently.

      Best bit that I really love is the feedback. When you’ve done something well and the client is happy. Get real pride from that.

    • Photo: Katie Rae

      Katie Rae answered on 23 Jun 2021:

      I work in a university, and the best part of my job is working as part of a team with students and my boss, who is a professor, and a company we collaborate with. We are all working to try to make a product from our research, and coming up with creative solutions in a team is something I really love.

      The worst part of my job is because of the way research is funded, most of us at the university don’t have a permanent contract. So I spend a lot of my time writing proposals to try to get more funding and continue my research – which is something I do enjoy, but you fail quite a lot which is difficult!

    • Photo: Murat Islam

      Murat Islam answered on 23 Jun 2021: last edited 23 Jun 2021 8:27 am

      Best part for me is working on completely new ideas, testing and developing them to come up with brilliant products. I also like training others, as it enhances my own knowledge and trainees usually give me new ideas. The worst part for me is documenting everything I do like a scientist, as it slows me down a lot. I like to create working solutions, not writing detailed reports or scientific papers. That’s why I changed my career from becoming an academician to a mechanical design, research and development engineer. Of course I have to write long reports, emails and create presentations etc. as an engineer, but this is a lot less compared to an academic.

    • Photo: Helen Randell

      Helen Randell answered on 23 Jun 2021:

      I love the fact that i can make a difference to the amount of greenhouse gas emissions we produce and therefor might help limit the impacts of climate change. I also hope that decisions i make now can help makes our buildings more resilient in the future.

      The worst part of my job can be looking at the scale of the issues with climate change feeling like its a massive problem that can’t be solved. However, its just keeping a little bit of perspective that even if i only make a small impact it is still better than doing nothing.

    • Photo: Tommy Shinton

      Tommy Shinton answered on 23 Jun 2021:

      Best part – seeing the things I’ve designed get built in real life and the satisfaction that comes with knowing it works and is helping people

      Worst part – sometimes you do a design and you’re happy with it and the client doesn’t end up building it because they change their mind or don’t have enough money, that’s always a shame to me.

    • Photo: Sam Hurst

      Sam Hurst answered on 23 Jun 2021:

      Best: Travel and Everyday is different
      Worst: Long Hours and Stress (but this is changing in the industry)

    • Photo: Carys Kelly

      Carys Kelly answered on 28 Jun 2021:

      The best part is working with my team and other teams on a massive project! I love that everyone is able to share their skills and come together to produce something amazing.

      The worst part is that due to COVID, I’ve never been to the office. This means I’ve never met anyone I work with in real life, which is a shame. Hopefully we’ll be able to do this soon though, some planning has started to get us back!

    • Photo: Tom Kitching

      Tom Kitching answered on 12 Jul 2021:

      Best part is the fact you learn something new every day – I enjoy learning about new processes and new materials and new solutions to problems.
      Worst part are that some people you work with are lazy and don’t pull their weight – these aren’t team players, and I have little time for them.

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