Scottish Apprenticeship Week Spotlight: Graham Dallas

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

I used to a be a guitarist and singer in a band, we used to play clubs, birthday parties, and even a wedding.

Tell us about your career journey so far.

I began as a technician apprentice in a factory. I changed to equipment design and then into Oil & Gas. After 10 years in engineering, I moved to Sales & Business Development as I enjoyed discussing technical challenges and requirements with customers. My engineering background gave a me a practical experience of how equipment operates, and my new role gave me an opportunity to understand how the equipment works and fits in with the bigger picture.

I have been involved with Business Development and Sales for over 20 years and enjoy working in both Oil & Gas and Renewable Energy sectors. In addition to being a STEM Ambassador, I volunteer and have been a Board member of the SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) Aberdeen Section for almost 10 years.

What was your favourite subject in school and why?

Chemistry – Just something about it really fascinated and clicked with me. It wasn’t just the experiments and the explosions! I like the logic of chemical composition and bonds, and how element combine to make everything from acids, alkalis to everyday items. Later in college I really got an appreciation for Physics and Maths.

What subjects/qualifications/skills are useful for your role?

Maths and physics or a technical subject is essential for understanding the engineering element, although an understanding of how a business operates is equally useful.

Communication is also a versatile skill. You can be the best engineer or scientist in the world, but you need to communicate your ideas and solutions either written or verbally.

What is your favourite thing about your job?

Discussing technical challenges and solutions with both the customer and my colleagues. I also do lots of training and coaching with my colleagues around the globe, both online and I’m lucky to travel internationally.

What is a normal day in your role like?

I spend time (online) with my colleagues, usually calls to the Far East and Australia first thing in the morning, the Middle East and Africa about Lunchtime, and North and South America in the afternoon. Today I spoke with Thailand, Vietnam, India, UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa as well as people across Europe.

Ordinarily my day will also consist of interacting with our customers, making sure we are up to date with their requirements and communicating this back to the team. Looking for gaps in the marketplace where we could provide services. Attending and contributing to industry networking and exhibition events and seminars.

And what does your job title mean?

Group Business Development Director, I’ll break it down:

Group – I work in a Group of companies, we have 77 offices in 45 countries, and I interact with all of them rather than just one.

Business Development – It’s a bit like sales, but I find new partners, enter new markets, and figure out how the company can make more money in the long run. I’m one of the people who connects the dots between "what we have" and "who needs it."

Director – I don’t just do the work; I set the direction and provide training and tools to others.

Can you suggest an activity that could be done at home that illustrates an aspect of your work?

A lot of my job is research and information gathering, I use Google and LinkedIn to find people to engage with. I also utilize AI to help with addressing certain markets or geographies, AI is incredibly helpful for analysis huge amounts of data. You can try this at home on a laptop, tablet or on any mobile phone. Ask AI to explain an industry (manufacturing, automotive, energy, transport), perhaps what types of jobs are available or what types of skills these jobs require. Always remember AI can get things wrong, so always try to check and back up anything you find.