Charley spent this past week with us at our factory in Worcester and it has been a pleasure having her as part of the team. During her time here, she had the opportunity to gain hands-on experience, observe our day-to-day operations, and engage with various members of the team across different departments.
We hope she found the experience both insightful and enjoyable, and that the knowledge she’s taken away will prove valuable as she continues on her future career path. It’s always rewarding to support individuals at the beginning of their professional journeys, and we’re confident that Charley has a bright future ahead of her.
From all of us here in Worcester, we wish her every success and look forward to seeing where her journey takes her next!
My Week at Calder
Monday – Proposals Office
I learnt how a quotation request is received, and the quote created and submitted. This is important because if the proposals team create a quote that is too low, the project will not make a profit. Too high and the customer will look elsewhere. While I was in the office, I learnt how to create my own quotation, and it was interesting as there are many different factors that affect the end price. These include whether the customer wants accessories, if they are from a country with a different currency, or the regulatory requirements of the operating location.
Tuesday – Engineering
This is where I saw how they design the various pumps and model them in 3D to see if it’s possible to build. Through a visit to the workshop with an engineer I saw the correlation between the pumps modelled and then when they are actually built. This is important for the business because without a sound, workable design, the build teams would struggle to complete what are very complex machines.
Wednesday – Workshop
Being there, I got to see first hand how the pump units are made and put together, ready to ship to customers. I also spent time in the service bay, going through the equipment catalogue making sure all the pieces were there. Helping to change some parts of the pump was fun and cool to see how all the parts work and fit together. I watched the rebuild of a pump, which was useful. When the pump is completed, it looks complicated. However, when you see the rebuild step by step, the finished pump is not as complicated as I had at first thought.
Thursday – Purchasing
I learnt how to create a BOM, which is a bill of materials. This is an important part of the purchasing process. The team has to make sure there are enough materials in stock for each project, and make sure they have the correct number of parts. The BOM helps to ensure parts are not over- or under-ordered. Timing of the receipt of parts is something I found to be of particular importance.
What did I enjoy most?
My favourite section at Calder is the workshop/shop floor. I think this because it was all very interesting learning about all the parts that are required for a pump, and that one single piece of damage could ruin the whole project. Another reason is that I prefer to be hands-on, instead of sat down at a computer, so it was more enjoyable.
My time at Calder was good because it showed me what it is like to work in an engineering business and I saw how all the different departments operate. Communication between departments is essential in order to keep a steady flow of work, and keep any problems to a minimum. The week showed me how each department has a crucial role in forming the end product.
Image: Charley alongside our HR manager, Helen, who organised the work experience.
