Resettlement Success: From Army Avionics Technician to Philips Field Service Engineer
Category: Success Stories
Publish date: 02/05/2019
What attracted you to Philips?
"My military career had a sense of pride and purpose. In the Army I maintained Army Air Corps Lynx MK9A aircraft that acted as escorts for CASEVAC helicopters in Afghanistan, so when it came to leaving the forces, finding that meaningful career that matched up to this was important for me. I found a few jobs online as a field service engineer, but health and technology was most attractive due to the fact it was all about saving and bettering peoples’ lives! I chose Philips due to familiarity because of their consumer electronics, but after getting to know what they did in imaging and other health areas, the company sounded very exciting!"
What do you enjoy about working at Philips?
"No two days are ever the same. In my 4 and a half years with the company there has been a lot of change, which is very similar to the Army. I get a great sense of achievement when I manage to fix complex problems with our equipment, and knowing that I do my bit personally to help the communities around me is amazing. I actually installed the X-ray rooms that my own family have benefitted from! One of the greatest things about being an FSE at Philips is the opportunity for travel. So far I have been to Nashville, Chicago, Antwerp, Rotterdam and Eindhoven (All for work purposes of course!). I’ve also been involved with a lot of exciting projects (often worldwide) which is always a great opportunity to develop and learn".
How has your background in the British Army enhanced your career?
"The Army taught me discipline, confidence and how to manage my time effectively to be self-sufficient – all things that are paramount to being a Field Service Engineer. The leadership styles of civilians are something I struggled with initially upon leaving the forces, but I have learnt to adapt (as you do in the Army!), and have taken the corporate journey as a new learning experience".
Why should a Service leaver consider Philips?
"One of the greatest things about an Army career was the endless opportunities, providing you put the work in. I see Philips as being exactly the same, with so many different career paths, routes and options it’s crazy. At the same time however, I find Philips values FSEs that just want to be FSEs and be good at it! So really, ex-military technicians are a great fit for all the reasons mentioned above! As an ex avionics technician in military aviation, now working in medical imaging I don’t think there is any other industry that meets the same high standards and regulation, other than maybe civilian aviation!"
What skills do you need?
"The technical skills of working in military aviation set you up for the basics of working on medical equipment. Philips covers’ all the system training and on the job training, so as long as you have a solid technical foundation forces FSEs are a great fit. As for soft skills, to succeed in this job you need to be self-sufficient, being able to hold your own and work independently, calling on the team when you need to escalate more complex issues. You need to be highly motivated, as you spend a lot of time working alone, managing your time to an extent (so time management is a big one too!)".
Why are Service leavers a good fit?
"Many of the skills mentioned already, time management, self-motivation, and discipline are skills that you learn in the military environment. One thing the military did for me, is gave me ambition and showed me that I could achieve, and that has carried me through my Philips career so far".
Search ‘Philips’ on CTP’s RightJob for multiple Field Service Engineer vacancies.