The Beginning

I graduated from the University of Bath in 1998 with a mechanical engineering degree and started with ConocoPhillips at the Humber refinery in North East Lincolnshire. I applied with the company as it had a reasonably open career structure that would allow me a wide range of range of jobs including opportunities in the United Kingdom and overseas.

Back to top

 

My work at ConocoPhillips

My work at ConocoPhillips has allowed me to experience a wide variety of job roles. This has included project leadership on multi-million pound projects working out of contract offices abroad, followed by commissioning of the units on the refinery. I have also spent a number of years in maintenance leadership roles across a sizeable portion of the refinery. This has included the challenge of maintaining the largest coke production facility in the world during its normal operating cycle and during multi-million pound shutdown events. One of the most challenging leadership roles I have faced was in helping to rebuild a major process unit after a significant process incident at the refinery. This work had to be completed before the refinery could re-start and involved ConocoPhillips and a contracting team of over 450 people. The work was completed after three months of intense activity and the unit and refinery were re-streamed successfully. At the moment I am a shift manager responsible for the day-to-day safe and profitable operation of the refinery, along with the help of a 70- strong team of shift safety and operating personnel.

Back to top

 

Career Development

I have had a great variety of highly contributory and challenging tasks to tackle since starting with the company, but at the same time I have had close support and supervision where I’ve needed it. In my first few years at ConocoPhillips I had a personal mentor who helped guide my early training and career choices. My mentor and supervisor also ensured that I received the necessary training to help develop my career and deal with the work challenges that were thrown at me right from the start. Since my first day at ConocoPhillips I have really enjoyed working with the friendly, helpful people at all levels of the organisation.

Back to top

 

The Future

I am hoping to stay in the shift manager role for a few years and then move into a new challenge within the organisation. I have had offers to move overseas to other locations within ConocoPhillips in senior leadership roles, but as my family are currently settled in the area I have elected to pursue career opportunities at the refinery. My next role may well be into a leadership role involving one of the large operating or support divisions within the refinery.

Back to top