Staff Spotlight: Stuart Keay

Meet Stuart Keay: Stuart joined the team in 2018 as a Production Operator after gaining a BTEC in Engineering. Six years on, Stuart’s quick thinking, eye for detail, and organisation skills saw him develop into a Production Supervisor and a vital member of the Philtronics team. 

Let’s find out more about Stuart, his role, and how he became interested in the manufacturing sector. 

Q. What kind of critical decisions do you have to make in your role? 

A. My role naturally comes with the responsibility of making many decisions. However, these decisions aren’t just made by me; it’s essential that I also listen to my team and their insights to make the best decisions. For example, I’ll work with the team to decide on the correct operator for a task depending on whether the task needs to be completed quickly or methodically. This might seem like a small, menial task, but managing the team and their time effectively significantly impacts timelines. 

Q. What is your favourite part of your role? 

A. There are lots of aspects I really enjoy in my job. However, my favourite part of my job is getting my head down and getting stuck into problems. Finding the solutions to a tricky problem gives me a real sense of satisfaction and makes me proud, knowing that I am contributing to something worthwhile. 

Q. How did you become interested in this field? 

A. I became interested in the field while studying physics and engineering during my A Levels. When I applied for my role at Philtronics, these topics might come into play now and again. However, I soon realised that the PCB side of the business is very relatable to my studies. It has been great seeing real-world applications of subjects I enjoyed in school. 

Q. Why did you apply for your role with Philtronics? 

A. I applied for my role because it was the next natural step to advance my career skills. I needed to achieve this goal within a busy and fast-paced working environment to push myself and my abilities. I was also aware of Philtronics’ better-than-industry standards for product turnaround times, so I was excited to join an organisation with such an excellent reputation. 

Q. What makes Philtronics an excellent company to work for? 

A. A few things come to mind, but the one thing that stands out most is the opportunity to progress into higher roles and the company’s efforts to promote from within. When I joined in 2018, and even now, Philtronics has been invested in supporting employees to grow and develop their careers, creating jobs for life. I also appreciate that the company is always looking to make a conscious effort to improve its working environment for all employees, and this is also greatly appreciated by the entire team. 

Q. Would you recommend others to apply for this type of role? Is it rewarding or challenging? 

A. Realistically, it depends on the individual and their background and experience. If you’re looking to test yourself in an environment with deadlines set by the customer, this role is ideal; as a company, Philtronics always aims for the quickest and highest quality turnaround times to meet our customers’ demands.

If you’ve enjoyed hearing about Stuart’s journey with Philtronics, read more of our Staff Spotlights and find out more about Stuart’s role, responsibilities, training opportunities and advice for others below: