GRAHAM IRVINE

My job requires me to support the integrity and security of the college.

Activities include keeping records of keys and making sure that this duty is completed daily. Being the face and knowledge of the college when scholars, visitors and guests arrive. Arranging daily parking within the college grounds. Being able to respond quickly to alarms and being able to have a vast knowledge of the set up of these alarms in college and other quadrangles that belong to the college. Customer queries are of paramount importance. To act professionally at all times. Term time is very busy and being on your toes to respond to sometimes random requests is what keeps me busy. I am a very focused individual who has the ability to stay calm in situations that need to be responded to. The job is challenging and having the ability to work as a team is one of, if not the most important thing to work with. In my time here at the college. I have fitted in well with my colleagues. Also becoming a very respected member of staff. I am very proud to say I work for New College which is testimony to the staff and management here.

Although my time was short here. I very much enjoyed the day to day at this adult learning college. As part of the maintenance team, my duties were varied. Predominantly the safety and upkeep of all the systems in an organisation built in technology. Being on hand to repair or report problems when they occurred. Fire alarm safety testing. General decoration of all facilities. Room set ups and reconfiguration. Responding to daily issues when they arose. Assisting contractors with access and help when visiting. Opening up college first thing in the morning and if on the late duty. A full shut down and alarming the college at night. internally and externally. One project in my short time here was to help set up Student plumbing room for the start of that autumn term. I left this position to join New college as the wages were poor. Although Id been resigned to leaving should New college get in touch.

Employed as an external maintenance engineer during my career, firstly with BT PLC until 2005. Then as the new organisation renamed Openreach. I'd had many different duties across my career undertaken mainly in the customer service sector. As a repair and installation Faults man jointer. Also other duties included controlling and allocating work to a team of engineers allowing them to pick up work remotely across three counties. My main duties also included planning and locating jobs through to completion. Over that time I have had to oversee complex tasks and had to be flexible enough to adapt my skill levels to adjust. Making sure to get this message over to my team. I was also entrusted to mentor newer engineers joining the company when employed by Openreach. I am a trusted servant of my team who gives valuable experience to others. When required. I communicate well in difficult circumstances with empathy and assertiveness in equal measures.

I am certified to complete Risk assessments / Method statements to complete planned works and when the need arose in an emergency situation. External certificates gained during my time include Working at height, and with aids when needed. I have a current IPAF licence to work on both static and MEWP platforms. Confined spaces trained and covered our PAT test team to ensure all equipment was in date and certified. One of my duties also championed diversity across the business.

Although my time at Royal Mail was brief in terms of time employed. I was primarily tasked to sort letters and parcels both manually and on automated mailing machines. Then being flexible enough to stand in as a delivery worker covering sickness and holidays. It really was a wrench to leave when I did as I really enjoyed my time there. Meeting customers and alongside my colleagues at the time. I left the company after the busy run up to Christmas that year to pursue my career at BT.

I joined the army as a junior soldier in Folkestone May 82. Trained there for a year before joining the depot at Winchester to complete my training. On Pass out I joined my regiment. The 1st Battalion The Royal Green Jackets in Tidworth, Hants. My time spent was fast paced and quickly settled in to my time working as a team in my platoon within the rifle company. I completed three active tours of Northern Ireland. Went on duty to Kenya and the Falkland Islands within a support company. In 1985 was posted to Osnabruck, Germany. As part of the defence force in BAOR. As a spearhead battalion we were posted at short notice to various other countries such as Canada, Denmark, & Cyprus. I still actively keep in touch with my former colleagues via social events and days of remembrance. Fondly remembering my time in the forces. I left to pursue my career at BT in Apr 89.