Covered
Covered
Katie is a Design Technician on our team. Read on to discover more about her day-to-day work, what makes her most proud and what she’s most looking forward to in the future…
How did you get into this role Katie?
I studied engineering at college – one of just three girls on a course of 36 – and was taken on as a design apprentice by Fordingbridge soon after. I’ve seen so many people of my age fall into dull office jobs, but I’ve never looked back!
What do you most enjoy about the role?
I love the fact that I can see a tangible outcome to my work. It’s an amazing feeling to stand under a canopy you’ve designed and to know it’ll shelter thousands of people over the years. I’m taking my boyfriend hundreds of miles up to Nottingham soon to visit my most recent project at Trowell Garden Centre, as I’m so proud of what we have achieved there.
I also enjoy the close working relationships we develop with our customers. Lots of designers are isolated in drawing rooms but at Fordingbridge we are in touch with our customers, and it makes you so much more invested in getting the end result spot on.
What has most surprised you about the role?
I don’t think anyone can prepare you for the feeling of seeing your drawing come to life. Although you always have a picture in mind when you’re drawing your design, the end result somehow always looks so much bigger and more impressive than you could ever have imagined. I’ll never forget one of my first site visits to see the canopies we had designed being installed at Worthing Padel Courts. It blew my mind to see the scale of the project.
What does a typical week look like?
There’s so much variety and that’s something I really enjoy about the role. One day I might be on a site visit at a school and the next I could be on the factory floor talking to the guys about how we can solve a particular challenge for a customer.
What kind of projects do you most enjoy working on?
I’m an engineering geek at heart so love it when a customer comes to us wanting something that will really push the limits. We’re seeing increasing numbers of customers – especially in the garden centre and holiday attraction sectors – wanting projects on an ambitious scale. We’re now working on canopies spanning 40 and 50m. That presents a real engineering challenge, but it’s one I and the rest of the team relish.
Finally, what do you enjoy doing during your spare time?
I’ve recently got a Labrador puppy – Bugsy – and he takes up all my time! We’re always going on long walks or meeting my friends. He’s also become the unofficial office pet. He comes in with me on most days, which says everything about the friendly atmosphere we have in the office. Everyone loves him. He rules the roost and he’s spoiled rotten!
