Alistair Renwick
Trainee MCERTS Inspector
What is your background and how did you start working at SIRIS?
From a young age I’ve been fascinated by all aspects of engineering.
I have always had a great interest and enthusiasm to understand how engineering feats are accomplished. This passion was instilled in me through my father’s work as a structural engineer in the oil and gas industry – a career which took us all over the world and resulted in stints living in both Saudi Arabia and Canada.
I developed an interest in business at A Level and went on to complete a degree in Business Management at Sunderland University.
After graduating I was given the opportunity to work in the planning and procurement department for a large paint manufacturer. This role gave me the chance to learn new skills and receive valuable advice from colleagues who had many years’ experience working in different sectors.
When I was offered a role at SIRIS, all it took was a brief chat with the directors to convince me it was an opportunity I could not pass up. Two years on, I have thoroughly enjoyed every moment and I look forward to going to work every day.
What does a typical day at SIRIS look like for you?
I am primarily involved in MCERTS site inspections.
A lot of planning goes into site inspections, for example ensuring health and safety documents (RAMS) are provided prior to visit or completing inductions required to understand the risks while working on site. SIRIS has customers across the UK so it’s not unusual for me to travel and stay away overnight. My role also involves producing the reports that are sent for certification and finally to the customer.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
The most enjoyable aspect of my job is the flexibility of the work we do.
One week we may be out on the road, and the next in the office building jobs or completing inspection reports. I also enjoy meeting all the different people who work in the water industry such as process managers/site operators, the rapport with these people is invaluable because we are all working together to achieve the same goal.
What’s a favourite project you’ve worked on recently?
I really enjoyed working on a recent project for a water company.
We were given a list of sites that required annual verifications carried out on various flowmeters. We had a fairly tight schedule on which to complete the work, so I compiled a schedule that streamlined the routes so that we could complete the work on time.
I’m still training so it was exciting to have the opportunity to visit a few of these sites on my own. The sites I chose were quite challenging, mainly due to access restrictions, and when you are working on your own you must be able to problem solve effectively which is something I’ve always backed myself to overcome.
What do you think are some of the biggest challenges or opportunities facing the industry at the moment?
Rising costs for fuel and energy are affecting us all at the moment.
The global chip shortage is also making it difficult for businesses and water companies to replace equipment in a timely manner.
Organisations are being pressured to continue providing services while considering the environmental impact, so there are opportunities for every area of the water industry to look into technologies and techniques that use less chemicals and energy.
What do you get up to outside of SIRIS?
Fresh air and exercise is how I like to relax.
In my free time I enjoy exploring the beautiful Northumberland coastline and my local area around Durham, and I try to get to the gym as often as I can. I also enjoy watching documentaries and anything to do with engineering or historical industry in the UK.
