As part of a series of ‘Meet the Team’ articles, we caught up with Tooling Designer, Gareth Clarke, to find out more about his career at Morson Projects as he has progressed from a Tooling Apprentice to Advanced Tooling Designer.
So, Gareth, what made you decide to do an apprenticeship at Morson Projects?
My Dad actually worked at Morson Projects for 28 years, so I definitely saw the success in his career and the variety in his job role which inspired me to follow a similar path.
When I applied for the apprenticeship, I didn’t let anyone know my connection to him though as I wanted to know I’d got the job on my own merits.
Tell us a bit more about your role…
I joined Morson Projects straight from High School in 2014 and have progressed in my career as part of the Tooling team. I currently lead a Tooling Design & Manufacture delivery team which consists of 4 others and me. We take our clients requirements, work out how to solve their problem or facilitate their requirements and then work with them to deliver whatever it is they might need.
Tooling is a unique and often quite ‘wacky’ discipline. Each project is unique and often means working with a vast range of other disciplines, whether that be Mechanical Engineering, Aircraft Design, Civil Engineering and so on.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
For me, I really enjoy the variety of work, particularly the CAD element of Tooling Design & Manufacture; creating and testing a model to then see your ideas come to life, whether that is a lifting mechanism, trolley or overspeed test fixture. Regardless of what problem you are solving, it’s all about the accuracy!
What has been your favourite project to work on?
One of the most interesting jobs I have worked on was an engine upgrade for one of our defence sector clients. I was responsible for designing the seats used to secure the engines’ intakes and exhausts. I was the lead Mechanical Design Engineer and I was responsible for producing over 100 individual designs with a team of 4 people. This is one of the largest and most interesting jobs I have worked on, as there was a lot of aspects to consider in order to get them right. Plus, it was great to see and work with one of the most impressive ships in the world!
As part of my day-to-day work, I am also in charge of producing all tooling jobs we receive for Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery. This involves working with Siemens to find solutions to any issues they may have, producing CAD designs and drawings of a solution and then organising the manufacture of the item for them to use. I have designed all sorts of equipment over the years from lifting mechanisms, laser trimming fixtures and industrial transport fixtures.
What’s next for you?
I’m currently in the third year of my BEng in Mechanical Engineering at Manchester Metropolitan University, which I started after completing my Apprenticeship. I have been doing this part-time alongside working 4 days a week at Morson Projects and have one year of my studies remaining. Following my graduation, I will be a fully qualified Engineer and then hope to work towards Chartership.
Would you recommend an apprenticeship to someone looking to start a career in Engineering?
I would definitely recommend an apprenticeship to anyone looking to start in engineering. It is a great way to get started in the industry, I think it is a big advantage as the experience you gain as an apprentice from working in this environment as well as academic learning is invaluable.
