CAREER JOURNEY SO FAR
Graduate
scheme
Two years as a design engineer at a major UK shipbuilder
Four years as a naval architect in a dockyard working on naval and commercial projects
Moved to BMT two years ago to work in engineering consultancy
SUBJECTS STUDIED AT SCHOOL
Advanced Highers in:
Maths
Physics
Chemistry
FURTHER EDUCATION:
Masters degree in Naval Architecture at the University of Strathclyde
Maths
Physics
Chemistry
Highers in:
English
Tech studies
MEET ROBERT
Senior Naval Architect, BMT
FUTURE ASPIRATIONS
The dream for me is to be the chief designer for a new ship! Right now I only work on parts of ships, and I think it would be really interesting to be responsible for the whole thing.
Q&A WITH ROBERT
What does your company/organisation do?
BMT helps other companies and government organisations to design ships and plan how to maintain and repair them. We also help them train their staff and work out how to work safely, efficiently and effectively.
What types of activities do you do in your job?
I’m currently working on the design of a ship, where I’m responsible for some of the equipment on board. I have to work out what the equipment needs to be able to do, and what rules it has to meet, and write specifications so that the company which will make it knows what they have to supply.
What does a typical day at work look like for you?
A typical day can involve performing design calculations, producing drawings, or writing specifications. It varies a lot depending on what I’m working on and what deadlines I have. I don’t usually have very many meetings, but I talk to my colleagues a lot about what we’re doing and help each other out.
What are your favourite things about your job?
Probably my favourite thing is seeing something you’ve worked on go from an idea in my head into a real thing that’s been built. It’s also cool every time I get to go on a ship!
What skills are important for your job and how do you use them?
Problem solving and time management are important skills for me. I often have lots of deadlines for different people, and have to know how to prioritise what I’m doing.
HOW ROBERT USES ALGEBRA AT WORK
Whenever I know the end result I’m trying to achieve, and I need to work backwards to find out how many objects to use or how big something should be to do that. For example, how many weights I need to balance a ship, how large equipment can be, or how powerful an engine is needed.
ACTIVITIES
Problem 1
A ship needs 20 tonnes of weight added to make it level in the water. The weights in the shipyard come in 4-tonne sizes. How many weights need to be put on the ship?
Problem 2
A bulkhead (wall) on a ship is 300 cm long. A piece of machinery 160 cm long needs to be installed in the centre, with two equal sized cabinets on either side. How wide should the cabinets be?