FEATURE
My Ambition is to... Gary Barkley, Continuous Improvement Engineer, SDC Trailers
I
was always in and around the top of the class at school but I never really pushed myself enough to fulfil the potential my teachers told me I had. I enjoyed subjects like maths and IT but I still didn’t feel like that was enough to push myself to the next level in school. I suppose I am one of the many who look in hindsight with some regret and think that ‘I wish I had studied harder in school’.
I come from a diverse background which has stood me in good stead to where I am today. From an early age I always wanted to join the army and the further I got into my teenage years I made the decision to enrol in a Schoolleavers apprenticeship. The apprenticeship allowed me to continue some parts of my education whilst also training to be part of something I always dreamed about. I was quickly promoted up the ranks and enjoyed seeing parts of the world that I would never have seen if I had moved into further education. After a few years in the army I made the move into manufacturing with a company called Schrader Electronics in Carrickfergus. Starting as an operator on the production line I had set my sights on some positions within the company. The position of supervisor was my first target. I worked hard in my role and showed a great willingness to learn about the products we were building and how they aligned with the customer’s needs. I also enrolled in a few courses in my spare time studying ILM Leadership and Management and Six Sigma Orange Belt in Lean Manufacturing. Within a few years I was promoted to the role of supervisor and this was the start of my amazing ‘Lean’ journey. I
have not looked back since. In my new role I got to meet some amazing ‘Lean Thinkers’ who were Lean Six Sigma Black Belt qualified and they took me under their wing after I showed I was keen to learn and understand Lean manufacturing in more depth. These engineers showed me how great lean/continuous improvement can be and how it benefits everything from work life to family life. I studied Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and was running SMED projects and Kaizen events with my team on a daily basis. I enjoyed leading teams from the front and facilitating them in their own personal development. At times I felt I was coaching and helping people that had the same regret I had in not reaching their full potential in school. My next target was to be more involved in lean projects and be part of the continuous improvement team. I continued my learning and I am currently entering my final year studying for a BA Hons degree in Business Management. Studying business will allow me to learn aspects of how a business operates from finance, corporate social responsibilities to identifying strengths and weaknesses within the company.
20
After 12 years in Schrader I felt it was the right time for me to move on. An opportunity came up with SDC Trailers in Toomebridge to work full time in Continuous Improvement and it was an opportunity that I could not turn down. SDC has put a lot of faith in me to take the company to the next level and improve its all round business operations. My biggest challenge so far had been trying to implement a culture change, but the response from everyone so far has been absolutely outstanding and that has made my job a whole lot easier. Having no previous experience in trailer manufacturing I have had to rely on some fantastic people to help me get to where I am today. I am currently managing three projects and there is nothing more satisfying than seeing everyone pull together to make improvements and see their confidence grow in watching their ideas come to fruition. My ambition is to excel in my field and work towards Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and be able to pass on my knowledge to aspiring engineers like I once was. I have a lot to learn, but I could not ask for better people to be around to help me on my journey than the team right here in SDC.
