Embarking on a career in water treatment engineering is both exciting and challenging. At Veolia Water Technologies UK, we've seen many professionals transform from industry newcomers to respected experts. One such success story is Jamie, a service engineer whose journey exemplifies the rapid growth possible in this field. How did Jamie navigate the complexities of advanced water treatment systems? Read on to discover his inspiring path and learn about the exciting career possibilities in water treatment engineering.
Why were you excited to join Veolia?
I was excited about joining Veolia as it was a new challenge and an opportunity to develop my knowledge within the water treatment industry. Veolia has a well-structured development platform and great training resources that is aiding my progression alongside assistance from my colleagues.
Coming from a smaller water treatment company, I was amazed by Veolia's extensive portfolio of solutions and technologies. While my previous role involved basic plant maintenance and repairs, joining Veolia revealed a much wider scope of the water treatment industry. This exposure to cutting-edge technology and sophisticated treatment systems has been both challenging and incredibly rewarding.
What does a typical workday look like?
The role of a service engineer is far more dynamic than many might expect. Each day brings unique challenges and responsibilities that extend well beyond routine maintenance. It's interacting with customers, attending plant breakdowns, carrying out remedial work, admin work and arranging work to be carried out alongside our scheduling team.
A ''Normal'' day will possibly be a PPI (Pre Planned Inspection) where we will carry out a comprehensive water chemistry analysis, a detailed examination of fault histories, and filter maintenance to ensure optimal plant efficiency. Alternatively, I might be assigned to Pre-Planned Maintenance (PPM) tasks, which include all PPI elements plus the installation of specialised service packs.
Can you share a success story from your first 6 months in the business?
When first joining Veolia I found it quite daunting with the equipment in front of me as it was a lot more advanced than what I had worked on previously. However, through dedicated training and support from my colleagues, I quickly gained confidence in managing these complex systems. Within weeks, I had developed a solid understanding of both the technical aspects of the equipment and the operational procedures. My progress accelerated rapidly, and I soon found myself providing on-call emergency support and handling critical breakdown situations. Perhaps most notably, in less than six months, I've earned the responsibility of managing some of our most prestigious client accounts.
What is the most challenging aspect of your job and how do you overcome it?
The most demanding aspect of my role involves managing critical plant breakdowns, where every minute of downtime can significantly impact our clients' production capabilities and bottom line. These high-pressure situations require quick thinking, technical expertise, and effective problem-solving skills to minimise disruption to our customers' operations. In cases where immediate resolution isn't possible due to the need for specialised parts or extensive repairs, we can deploy emergency water units to maintain our clients' operations.
What skills have you developed since joining our team?
Since joining the team, I've experienced significant professional growth across multiple areas. My technical expertise has expanded considerably, particularly in specialised processes such as Clean-in-Place (CIP) operations and advanced chemical treatment applications. I have also developed my admin skills too.
How do you see your role contributing to the company's overall mission?
Our purpose at Veolia Water Technologies is ecological transformation. I Contribute to this by adapting plants to run as efficiently as possible. We will attempt to fix units over the phone first and foremost to avoid making unnecessary journeys contributing to CO2 pollution reduction.
What's something about your job that may surprise people?
The main thing that surprises people is when I tell them I don't work for a drinking water provider company, or when I say I'm not a Plumber! Most people are unaware of how essential water treatment is to global production processes and are often surprised by the sheer scale of treatment systems required. My role heavily relies on chemistry and physics principles to ensure water meets precise specifications for production processes. The diverse range of treatment methods we employ means there are always new techniques and processes to master, making every day a learning opportunity.
If you could switch roles with anyone in the company for a day, who would it be and why?
If I could switch roles with a member of staff within the company for a day I would swap with a member within the R&D team. I’d like to see the background work to bring out a new product and give my own thoughts on how our products could be improved.
How do you see your career developing with Veolia?
Given my passion for problem-solving, I'm particularly interested in advancing into a technical specialist position or moving into a management role where I can support other engineers and contribute to achieving company objectives. Veolia's commitment to professional development aligns perfectly with my ambition to expand my expertise and take on greater responsibilities.
What advice would you give new employees joining our company?
The advice I would give to new employees at Veolia would be; It may be daunting at first if you haven't come from a background in the water treatment industry but if you are willing to learn you will get there with the support of the team and the company.
Interested in exploring our current engineering opportunities? Visit our Career Hub, here.
