• Question: What is the most challenging task you have done?

    Asked by rung134amp to Tom, Ruth, Nas, Manish, Helen, Chloe, Caroline, Adam on 5 Jul 2021.
    • Photo: Chloe James

      Chloe James answered on 5 Jul 2021:

      The most challenging task I have done is working in my current role during the pandemic. I’ve had to learn how to use the software we have, all without being in the office. This has been pretty challenging as I haven’t been able to go into the office to have face to face training!

    • Photo: Ruth McKinlay

      Ruth McKinlay answered on 6 Jul 2021:

      The most challenging task I have done was trying to install a high pressured water jet system in an area with very little room. This water jet system was used to remove unwanted scale (a thin layer of metal) from very hot metal slabs – if these wern’t removed the scale would stick to the slabs and then they profile would be wrong.
      I worked with a design company to make sure the water pressure system would blast the scale off without damaging the metal underneath, fit into a very small area and have work with lots of different sizes of metal slabs. It was hard work but we managed it in the end by investigating new automated technology and small water nozzle sizes that would still deliver the right quantity and pressure of water.

    • Photo: Helen Randell

      Helen Randell answered on 9 Jul 2021:

      The most challenging thing i have done was making the decision to stop a project on site because i didn’t think it was being done safely. I was a young engineer and after i’d called the safety office to talk about my concerns and he agreed with my decision but then i had to tell the Project Manager and Worker to stop until we had made things safe and reviewed the processes to stop it happening again. It was pretty nerve wracking but i am really proud i made the decision.

    • Photo: Caroline Roche

      Caroline Roche answered on 12 Jul 2021:

      I once had to develop a program at the same time as the system was being designed. I had to keep on eye on the design to make sure what I had already programmed was still correct and hadn’t been changed or removed.

    • Photo: Tom Kitching

      Tom Kitching answered on 12 Jul 2021:

      I would say that the hardest tasks I ever did was whilst at university on my engineering course – they test you at university to differentiate you. A lot of the things you learn and study, although are used by some people, are not often used by a lot of engineers after they leave. You tend to focus on specific areas, some of which can be confusing to some.
      The biggest challenges I come up against now on projects are caused by having different clients who have different needs, and different knowledge, and different priorities. How you deal with each of these has to be different. I had one client who was completely inept and did not understand projects – in all honesty, I failed in dealing with this client. However, you learn from your mistakes. It’s one of the biggest lessons you learn – making mistakes is human. What make a great engineer (or just person in general) is identifying those mistakes and learning from them.

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