Every day is a learning day for Jac at Summit Platforms

“I’ve learned more in 18 months here, than in my previous five years of work. I absolutely love the job.”

Jac Ellis cannot be clearer about how much he is enjoying working as a pre-delivery inspection engineer at the Summit Platforms depot in Birmingham.

He joined the company in March 2021 and has benefited from a programme of structured training and mentoring to quickly become a valued member of the team, looking forward to a range of options for career development.

Professional team

“Every day there is something new here,” explains, Jac, aged 23, from West Bromwich. “Summit Platforms has such a big and varied fleet that I’m learning new things all the time.

“It’s also a very professional company. We work together as a team and everyone is listened to and treated equally. The ultimate priority is to do what’s right for the customer and do it safely.”

Jac worked full time as a go karting mechanic while completing his business studies degree at the University of Birmingham. Afterwards, he approached Summit Platforms because he wanted to stay working in mechanical maintenance, but at a higher level.

Motivated trainee

Summit Platforms was more than pleased to take Jac on as a trainee engineer. The company’s National Engineering Manager, James Holloway, said: “Jac is a very talented and motivated young man.

“He’s responded very well to the challenges of working in a very busy depot to the high standards we expect. We’re delighted to support committed individuals like Jac with all the training they need to thrive at Summit Platforms and build a career with us.”

Jac has been put through his IPAF Licenced Operator and Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) training. He has also attended manufacturer training courses, with more courses to follow.

It is, perhaps, the on-the-job training, delivered by senior colleagues with decades of experience, that is helping Jac learn the technical detail and craft of access platform maintenance and repair that he needs.

Jac is supported by other members of the depot engineering team, including Senior Engineer Dave Richards, pictured right.

Attention to detail

He said: “My colleagues are some of the cleverest people I’ve ever met. Platform maintenance is all about problem solving. The technology can be very complicated, so every day you need to think on your feet.

“Health and safety is also a huge part of the job. We need to make sure the platforms are 100% ready for our customers every time. I really like that sense of responsibility and attention to detail.”

As well as carrying out pre-delivery inspections, Jac has had the chance to learn about diagnosing and repairing hydraulics and electrical faults, along with the mechanical ones.

It is this need, with access platforms, to have such broad technical knowledge and ability, he is particularly enthusiastic about.

Future opportunities

His work is depot-based, currently. But Jac hopes, one day, to hit the road. “My aspiration is to keep learning at the depot and then get the opportunity to be a mobile mechanic, working more closely with our customers,” he explained.

“Having to service and repair our platforms at work sites, keeping them working for customers just when they need them most, feels like an interesting personal challenge.

“The good thing about Summit Platforms is that it’s such a dynamic and fast-growing business that, as long as I keep doing well, I feel confident I’ll get opportunities to develop my career here. It’s very exciting.”

To find out more about engineering opportunities with Summit Platforms, click here.