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1979 Intake

1980 Intake

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Left GEC in March 1985 to take up a Bench Technicians position with Harris Systems in Irvine. Lasted about a month – didn’t get on with the manager, not that it made much difference as the company pulled out of the UK 3 months later.  Had 3 months ‘Resting’ and then Managed (god knows how!) to get a fixed term contract as a Lecturer in Kilmarnock Technical College (with the promise of a full time position after the first term. (At this point I must thank all my Tutors from KCFE for the pre-written notes that were issued in lieu of real study. It made my life real easy when I came to preparing for classes – just photocopied my own notes!) Anyway, got told after the 1^st term that there were still problems with funding for my position but my contract was extended for another term. After a couple of weeks I realized that I been put on the ‘Bugger about’ list and quickly found a job with Phillips TMC in Airdrie. Lasted for 18 months when redundancy struck! Luckily, I saw it coming and joined Ericssons as a Test Engineer. This was not the best move in the world as I had hated the travelling with GEC and at the time, the relatively new management in Ericssons had no idea about Installation co-ordination or placement of people. As a result I was getting sent to jobs that weren’t anywhere near commissioning stage, miles from home, while guys from London would commission a job just down the road from my house! Having said that Ericssons were pretty good employers, and travelling aside, I was quite sorry to leave. So where did I go then? The MoD! Some of you may remember me being quite Anti-Nuclear at College. I absolutely hated anything to do with Nuclear Weapons. So ironically, I ended up in Faslane Naval Base (Where the Trident Submarines are docked along with some other serious shit) and would occasionally tend to faults in RNAD Coulport (Where the Trident weapons are stored!) The job I was doing (can’t say what) had given me a morbid curiosity to become a Sailor. So in late 1988 joined the Royal Naval Reserve as a Weapons Engineer – This involved looking after all the Comms, Navigation, and Weapon Equipment on board a tiny little Minesweeper. All rather good fun until the sea state got a bit wild – then you would find me lying flat on my back in the Engine Room between the propeller shafts (Ship moves the least here) feeling like death warmed up! Left the RNR and MoD in 1996 (defence cuts and shit working conditions respectively) to rejoin the Telecoms industry once again. This time, with the now defunct Atlantic Telecom as A Switch Engineer (DMS100). Left at the end of 1999 to pursue fantastic wealth as a contractor. Worked all over Europe until April 2001 when the industry collapsed. Came home with tail between legs and was lucky enough to get a Switch Engineers position with Telewest in Glasgow. I consider myself bloody lucky to have a job at all! Maybe in a few months I won’t – who knows these what’s round the corner?

As for family life? Well, kids are not for me, I am lucky enough to have a partner that thinks the same so instead we have a house full of wee furry animals which ties us as far as holiday’s go, but they keep the lass happy so who am I to complain?

Hobbies now include motorcycling, Cycling, and swimming. Other hobbies that I don’t like but have them anyway are Dieting, gardening, and occasionally car maintenance.