Profile
Barney Weston
Curriculum Vitae
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Education:
The Oratory School near Reading, and University of Southampton.
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Qualifications:
O-levels, GCSEs, A-levels and Bachelor’s Degree.
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Work History:
I have worked at Instron Corporation for eight years, then a year as a sales rep and now at FM Global for 17 years.
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Current Job:
Senior Engineering Specialist.
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Employer:
I work for FM Insurance Company Limited, more commonly known as FM Global. Our UK office is in Maidenhead, Berks but as I am normally travelling I don’t go there very often and I have my own office in the garden at home.
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About Me
A problem solver, trying to use engineering to make life easier or better.
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Read more
So far I have managed to hold out against getting a family dog, so it’s just me, my wife, our 11-year old daughter and nine-year-old son. We are all passionate about music; I play in a rock covers band and a symphony orchestra; my wife plays in the same rock band and a classical wind quintet, and the children both learn piano. I would love to say that the house is full of engineering stuff, but it isn’t. We do have tonnes of Lego all over the place, and lots of books on bridges, lighthouses, railways and art history.
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My Work
I work for an insurance company and try to help people not to burn their factory down on blow their boilers up.
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I spent a lot of time at factories talking to people about what they do, so that we can find a way of them doing it safely. Every time you hear a story on the news about a factory burning down or something blowing up, it’s because a procedure or system went wrong. So my job is to find where the procedures or systems can be improved and help the factory owners make them better.
My company works with a lot of big companies, making food, medicines, mining for precious minerals, generating electricity and all sorts of other things. You will have things in your cupboards that are made by clients of my company. So every day, when I am able to get that type of biscuit, or that medicine, or boil the kettle to make a cup of tea, I am reminded that I played a part in making that happen.
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My Typical Day: My daughter thinks all I do is write emails. I have an office at the end of the garden, and in there I work on analysis of factory processes and procedures. But the real work is done when I am visiting factories all over the world (my territory covers UK, Sweden, Finland and South Africa, but I have also worked in the Middle East, Russia, the USA... But there are also a lot of emails.
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My job is all about being a consultant. I talk to people and look at what they do in their factories, so that I can understand what’s going on and how things work. I can then help them understand what’s dangerous about what they do, and how they can make it better.
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Enthusiastic about engineering.
What's the best thing you've done in your career?
I have stood on the roof of tall buildings in at least three continents.
What or who inspired you to follow your career?
The railway pioneers and barons - Stevenson, Brunel and Gresley.
What was your favourite subject at school?
Maths.
What did you want to be after you left school?
An engineer.
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Yes.
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
I would want to be a professional musician, but I'm not good enough.
Who is your favourite singer or band?
The Cure.
What's your favourite food?
Pizza. No, Indian. No, pizza. I don't know.
What is the most fun thing you've done?
Sydney Harbour Bridge climb.
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
To be content, happy and healthy.
Tell us a joke.
How do you tell the difference between a stoat and a weasel? One's stoatally different, the other's weasily distinguishable.
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