My Career Journey Case Study – Stephen Palmer

March 2, 2020

Stephen Palmer, Mobile Engineer Working Supervisor – Q&A

Firstly, can you tell us about your career path and what’s led you to the role you’re in today?

I started my career as an apprentice electrician and gained various qualifications, whilst gaining the most up to date knowledge to carry out work in domestic and commercial settings. After I became a fully qualified electrician, I progressed straight into installation work on several sites then to building services maintenance. My role then naturally led me to where I am today at Anabas in the FM industry.

What attracted you to the Facilities Management industry?

I think it was more of a natural progression to my role of being a mobile engineer. My skills were recognised with the first FM company I joined which resulted in a permanent position. I was site based and I gained more responsibility overtime and took advantage of all the learning opportunities to develop in my field. Unfortunately, I was made redundant, but I continued the search of gaining further employment in FM and I fortunately came across the role at Anabas. Anabas is a wonderful company to work for and they have continuously supported me into becoming a great supervisor for my mobile team.

What does a typical day in the life of a Mobile service engineer involve?

No day is ever the same as a mobile service engineer, but that’s why I love what I do. Generally, I tend to travel to the client site where my service is needed. I then check in with relevant contact and access the required jobs on our innovative QFM system. Throughout the day, I will carry out compliance checks, PPM and reactive works which are marked off as completed on our easy to use mobile device which updates the site log and keeps everything on track. Other days I will be doing more supervisory work, which involves checking and signing off time sheets for our mobile engineers, audits, toolbox talks, quotes and reports.

Is there anything which surprised you about the FM industry when you first started? / Is there something you wish you’d have known before starting in FM?

I was surprised to find that there were so many processes and procedures that had to be adhered to. Also, there is a big demand in the need for out of normal hours work.

What do you love most about your job at Anabas / working in the FM industry?

Every day is different for me, it’s so varied and interesting. I go from working as a supervisor – leading a team of wonderful engineers, to attending different sites and engaging with our clients. My goal is always to make my clients and team smile.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

The highlight of my career to date was completing my HV / LV electrical appointed persons training in York. It was something I had wanted to achieve for a while, and I was happy to gain the qualification after putting in the hard work.

What would you say are the biggest rewards about working in FM?

The sense of achievement I get after successfully completing a task and making a client happy. I also like to identify problems and come up with solutions for improvement; this could be something little which in the long run makes completing jobs more efficient. I tend to have a lot of reactive jobs to deal with so I also enjoy the satisfaction when I can work through them and tick them off.

What sort of things have you done to support your career development?

I believe learning and development is key within the FM industry and for me to have a successful career. I have attended several courses and seminars regarding changes to editions of certain regulations which are essential for me to fulfil my role as an engineer. I also recently attended the  Anabas Managing Safety course to keep my CPD up to date.

What do you wish you’d known when you were starting out in your career?

I am very happy with where my career has taken me so far and I look forward to my development and my future, hopefully progressing within Anabas.

What do you think are the secrets behind getting to where you’ve got to?

Listening, wanting to learn, progression and dedication.

What skills do you feel are essential for someone interested in your role?

As I previously mentioned, no day is the same so keeping up to date with your skills and knowledge is important to be able to carry out your role properly. If you are starting out, I’d recommend an apprenticeship because you can gain a lot of knowledge with the training side of it and put everything you learn in to practice. It is also a great way to identify the area of engineering you enjoy most so you can perhaps specialise in it.

What advice would you give young people who haven‘t quite decided on a career path yet?

If you want a job that is varied and challenging, with the opportunity to learn and grow, then a role within Facilities Management is right for you.

What advice would you give to young people who are wanting to come into FM?

There are many roles in the industry which can be either practical or office based, so there are plenty of opportunities to progress and grow in a field which is constantly evolving.

What are the prospects like within FM? What do you think the future will hold for the next generation?

I think there will be more demand for specialist skills and technology will continue to be a big factor in the industry. I think we will see developments in advancing lighting controls and building management systems.

Find out more information about working at Anabas and live vacancies here: www.anabas.co.uk/join-us/