With endless amounts of training and opportunities to do degree courses, Intel is more than happy to help you out with your learning and development.
I’ve been a Manufacturing Technician for just over a year with Intel. It means, a bit like servicing cars, I ensure all the tools are up and running and replace parts which may be about to break down. Most of what I do is called Preventative Maintenance or PM.
I used to work as a technician in telecoms where I would be rigging and installing equipment in all sorts of weather conditions at all hours of the day, or night. But having a young family, I found it tough to have a good work life balance. So I gave it up when the kids were really small, and while at home, I did a course in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing.
I was applying to pharma companies after finishing that course, when a friend suggested I try applying to Intel. I did a bit of research and found that a lot of the skills learned in the course could be transferable. And the more I read, the more I liked the sound of joining Intel.
Since I’ve joined, I’ve loved the whole experience. I found the HR team to be really welcoming and supportive. I like the way you’re buddied up with someone to learn the ropes. It means you’re never left on your own. The role itself is also a good fit. I like using my hands and the Manufacturing Technician position is great if you’re in any way mechanically or technically minded. So, it’s felt like a natural fit. And the course I did has given me the confidence to read things like instrumentation diagrams or help me run test products on the tools.
My typical day sees me start just before 7am or 7pm depending on my shift. I do a month of days then a month of nights. To start, we do a handover call with whoever’s coming off shift. Then we decide what PM needs to be done. A single task can take up to four hours, so you build breaks around that. Other than that, alarms can go off at any time, so you drop what you’re doing to fix those. Repair work may be needed too, but the more qualified technicians handle those – I’ve still got lots of training ahead of me for that.
But the continual learning is what I probably like best about being at Intel. Aside from the training on the job, you get regular emails about Level 8 courses, so they really encourage you to learn. And you can see development in action on the floor too. Some of the other teams are starting to use augmented reality (AR) glasses to do tasks and I’m looking forward to applying that to my role someday too. There’s lots of exciting things going on.
On the personal side, I like the balance of 3/4 days on/off. It gives me time to spend with my family. Doing the night shift is not a big strain for me because I’m used to being on call at all hours from my previous work. I also like the benefits package. As a family, it’s great to know so many items like healthcare and your pension are taken care of. It’s difficult to overstate how important benefits like that are.