Lisa Andrews

Name

Lisa Andrews

Job Title

Quality Improvement Facilitator

Company

Shell

Lisa Andrews is Quality Improvement Facilitator for Shell and has been with the company for 13 years. We asked Lisa a range of questions to find out what she liked at school, her career path so far and what advice she would give to anyone making decisions about their careers. Here's what she said

What is your educational background?

I Left school at 16 with 10 GCSE's all grades A,B, then joined TTE and gained my HNC in general engineering. I then went on to get my B.Eng in Plant Engineering via the day release route while still in full time employment. I then went back to college a few years later to get my NEBOSH.

What subjects did you like at school?

Maths, Science and History

Who influenced your decision making?

My family, my sister had gone down the route of doing A-levels and not achieving the grades she required for her choice of university, so she went into full time employment, she is now the IT manager for Merseyside Ambulance. The idea of working, and achieving my education was appealing, as I didn't want to come out of university with no work experience and massive debt. My father was also very proud of me choosing the engineering route.

What is your current role?

I am currently an improvement facilitator for all quality and customer incidents, this involved investigation work via various methods and monitoring quality performance on the site.

What would a typical day contain for you?

Investigation work, updating quality procedures, meetings.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Every day is very different and very challenging, I also work with a great team of people. I never know what I will be doing from day to day, there are obviously some tasks which do need to carried out each week or month, (month ends etc.) but these just get fitted in amongst everything else.

What skills are important in your job?

Background knowledge of operations and engineering, investigation skills and report writing.

What are your main responsibilities?

As above

What training (on & off the job) has helped you perform your role or progress?

Solid education basis in engineering via practical experience at TTE and 9 years spent out on the production units operating has certainly helped. My progress now is through training courses on presentation, facilitation skills, time management etc.

Why did you choose a career in the chemical industry?

I always liked my sciences at school so it felt natural to drift into the field of the industry, I joined TTE very open minded with the mindset that I would give it 12months and if it wasn't for me then I would go back to college get my A levels and go to Uni. I never looked back, the 31/2years at TTE were great fun.

What advice would you give to someone considering your career?

Its very hard to know whether you are making the right decision, be open minded, if you chose the wrong route then you can always change back and achieve your goals in other ways. Speak to people who have been to university and then gone into employment verses people who have gone the practical route. I have found within my own industry that people with practical experience tend to do better and achieve higher goals.