Yoana Yoskova Yosifova

A lateral move within the business, into the ESO position, was an interesting prospect for me - I had already learned about the business and the operation and so I wanted to learn more about the system and engineering aspect for the future of my personal career development

Operated various equipment within automation system, performing essential functions including sensors, scanners, conveyors, and PLCs, contributing to overall operational efficiency.

Sensors

Scanners

Roller conveyors

Belts (waste conveyor, intralox, drive belts)

Right Angle Transfers (RATs)

Small Wheel Diverts (SWDs)

ECCs

CBX100, CBX500

PLCs and HMIs

Air lines

Tape heads

Robot cells (the arm, suction cups, safety features)

Applied skills and knowledge during equipment issues and technology implementations, enhancing system performance and supporting successful dispatch cell operations.

It has also given me a further appreciation for the level of health, safety and good working practises in order to carry out safe, quality and efficient work.

The experience in my previous role as a Section Leader has also allowed me to act as a vocal bridge between Production and Engineering in times where the operation is suffering as a result of a faulty piece of equipment. I am able to communicate effectively between the two departments and allow both teams to be of the same understanding, devise contingency plans and establish timeframes of a solution. I have also built communication skills by building a relationship with the Dematic residency team and escalating to them appropriately when necessary.

• Understanding of the appropriate use of hydraulics and pneumatics for a machine or part to carry out a job appropriately, for example, vacuum lines to perform suction to move a target
• Understanding of the function of sensors and scanners requires proper timing, alignment and line of sight to be able to function as intended in order to enable correct and timely diversion (in use at SWDs and RATs, for example)
• Ability to troubleshoot, based on past experience and gained knowledge, new problems to establish root cause and implement temporary and permanent fixes
• Deconstructing and reconstructing machinery with knowledge of individual parts and understand how the combination of the parts allow the machine to function
• Carrying out planned maintenance ensuring consistent functionality of machinery
• Building and maintaining cross-departmental relationships to aid effective communication
• Completed mechanical VRQ course at St. Helens College
• Completed First Aid training for use within the business

Leveraged knowledge and experience in role to identify strengths and shape career direction towards engineering support.

During my time as a Section Leader at Gousto, I had a number of tasks and opportunities, but namely, I got to; experience management of a large number of Operatives, adhere to fulfilment of daily and ad hoc tasks essential for operation, gain exposure to the automation and data-centred work that powers Gousto from behind the curtain.

Management of staff

• Complete deployment of staff to particular areas and subareas, focusing on: essential and relevant skills for operation, job rotation and growing skills of the Operatives as well as other considerations such as training agency staff
• Record, analyse and report staff performance in hourly updates
• Use data to have growth and improvement conversations with operatives and implement re-training or support for those falling behind KPI
• Assist with appropriate escalation of personal matters and providing relevant support when needed

Managing staff was extremely fulfilling as it builds a stronger bond between management and Operatives, in turn, allowing us both to build a smooth, effective and efficient day-to-day operation for the success of the business.

Fulfillment of daily and adhoc tasks

• Completing good-to-go checks to ensure quality, but more importantly, safety.
• Running adhoc extraction on SKUs that may have become unusable mid-batch, ensuring customers receive the highest quality of produce
• Supporting GMPs with QA in the subareas, ensuring safety and cleanliness to adhere to high food safety standards

Exposure to automation and data

• Learning basic parts of the physical side of the automation in terms of scanners, sensors, ECCs to be able to support whilst engineering were en route
• Learning parts of the systemic side of the automation in terms of WMS systems (DiQ, JDA, GWC) and how physical behaviour can affect the system positively and negatively
• Using WMS to launch investigations on anomalies such as short picks, totes that won't move during extraction or remap and boxes that won't allocate, for example and then taking actions to rectify

Joining Gousto as a Production Operative gave me an insight of the full cycle of how a warehouse runs from intake to outload.

My roles were across different areas, such as Decant and the Pick Tower and through training and conversations, acquired a knowledge of the business and a specific skillset for the role.

Decant

• Loading SKUs into totes to enter the automation to allow for the continuation of picking from Pick Tower operatives
• Using allergen bags to ensure food safety for operatives and for customers
• Speed and accuracy of counting the number of products in a tote to adhere to systemic demand and other pre-defined variables such as tray quantity size

Pick Tower

• Accuracy in picking the correct quantity of the correct item into boxes as per the customers' orders
• Speed of picking in order to adhere to KPIs enabling smooth and timely flow of the overall operation
• Disposal of poor quality produce and raising to Section Leaders of multiple occurrences where applicable

Working as an Operative was interesting as it allowed me to appreciate what it takes to run an operation. It led to a personal investment in the operation that pushed me to use my abilities to apply for the Section Leader role