Gareth Leesley

My time at Icon has been punctuated by CNC machines, with myself operating both a Zund CNC machine and a waterjet cutting machine. Designing, generating cutting instructions for and using programs, identifying issues with the machine and fixing them such as replacing consumable parts, using correct materials and filling out traceability paperwork such as Acceptance Test Reports (filled out only after inspection of finished parts, conducted by me) and Kit sheets to a high and BSI audit-passing standard were but some of the responsibilities involved with this role.

Materials involved were high-cost and fragile, with contamination and FOD being kept to a minimum throughout operations. Some materials involved with my work include, but are not limited to: inch-thick steel, Kevlar fabric, fluoropolymers, thick rubber sheeting, polyurethane and even thousands of finished air-frame and aero-engine parts.

While operating the machines, I would be working to the company quality policy, ensuring housekeeping was kept to an exceeding standard and all while increasing area efficiency and keeping quality levels to industry standard figures and providing impeccable on-time delivery of parts.

These roles also involved an amount of extra, occasional responsibilities such as part-marking, trimming parts, finishing production processes of parts (painting, alodine coating, etc.) and bagging and labeling, all while logging the shifts activity to be reported to line managers and other shifts that may also use the machines.

Communication through e-mail and use of excel spread sheets (to locate production orders, generate traceability paperwork and inspect key-accounts documents) were highly exercised during this time also.

• Handled and sorted materials correctly, minimising waste generated.
• Maintained clean and safe work environment for maximum productivity.
• Conducted regular equipment checks for optimal operational conditions.
• Documented daily operations accurately, assisting in record keeping.
• Provided technical support to colleagues, fostering a cooperative work environment.
• Upheld all health and safety regulations for risk reduction.
• Monitored machine output, ensuring quality control standards were met.
• Managed operation of heavy machinery to meet production targets.
• Assisted in training new staff, ensuring efficient team performance.
• Performed routine inspections of machinery, preventing potential malfunctions.

Employed under Jimmy's Products UK, I acted as a Production Operative. My responsibilities would range from packing and sealing product on the end of the lines, cleaning lines ready for a production run of a different product, starting/shutting down kettles as well as operating them, keeping track of and replenishing materials needed for production and packing of popcorn or candyfloss, operating industrial candyfloss machines, and even packing goods in a warehouse environment. Packing the product means accurately packing to a specific weight with no guidance of scales as well as minimising air within the packaging as to not take up space on a pallet or send product stale within it's own packaging. This means that I have been trained to use, setup, and work efficiently with, production equipment such as: Cretors' oil kettle poppers; Flo-Thru Sifters; bag and box sealers; Fortress metal detectors; belt, vibratory and feeder conveyors; and Cretors Ringmaster candy floss machines but to name a few.

• Performed cleaning activities across site to maintain safety, hygiene and compliance.
• Accurately labelled and packaged items.
• Covered shift breaks and other production areas to minimise disruptions.
• Collaborated effectively with production teams to maintain excellent productivity and performance standards.

Whilst at Jimmy's Products UK, I was promoted and trained as Quality Control Relief. Therefore, I was trained as any normal Quality Control officer would be but would operate when the main, full-time officer was absent. This means I had been trained to perform hourly checks on product being produced on all lines, and action to take if any problems occur. Checks on products include: taste tests, visual checks on samples, weighing final packed product, checking coding quality and best before dates are printed correctly on all packaged product, as well as salt titration checks on products that include salt. Not only was this product source inspected, but calibration of scales was checked often as well as the ingredients used receiving visual inspection incredibly regularly.

While volunteering for the Labour Party, I was responsible for the punctual delivery of such documents as Labour voting papers , voting papers for the general election while under John Mann, and even Christmas cards during the Christmas season. Several hundred letters would be delivered to specific addresses under a deadline, of which all were reliably delivered safely and correctly while working to a fast work-rate.