I joined Eadon as a Graduate Engineer in August 2019 having completed a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Sheffield. Eadon Consulting stood out to me because they are a smaller company working in a range of industries, with an obvious passion for their work. I have always found Eadon Consulting to be a very welcoming and supportive company to work for. When I joined, the whole team was very understanding of the fact that I was a recent graduate and supported my development by guiding me and giving me realistic tasks to do.

Working for a smaller company like Eadon has had many advantages. I’ve had the opportunity to get a lot more involved in several different disciplines and to switch around roles. A highlight of my first two years at Eadon was working on and demonstrating the REACH (Remote Extendable Access, Characterisation and Handling) R&D project. REACH is a bespoke, modular system developed for getting sensors and tools into hazardous environments through 6-inch ports for use in decommissioning in the nuclear industry. It has been a fascinating project to work on and I was able to contribute a lot, including design of a motorised hinge module. Physically demonstrating a prototype system, with designs I had worked on, was a great opportunity for me.

The most challenging part of my time at Eadon, as in most companies, has been adjusting to work from home during the pandemic. Despite the challenge and uncertainties, I felt that the company was extremely supportive to us all, and the team adjusted remarkably quickly as a result. Despite a big change to how we interact, the social light-hearted side of working has continued, and the sense of community is still there as we’re all enjoying getting back into the office more.

Another great thing about working at Eadon is their flexible working policy. Having the ability to manage my own time and knowing I can take time back for an afternoon away after putting in extra hours to meet a tight deadline, or working around a personal commitment, makes it much easier to balance my work and home life. Eadon are very encouraging in allowing you to make your own choices about how you can work most efficiently and effectively.

Overall, I think Eadon is a great place to be as a graduate. You’re given the opportunity to not only find your feet, but also to find out what kind of things you enjoy most, whilst ensuring you have a broad set of skills and experience as a well-rounded engineer. Eadon have helped me to recognise my strengths and weaknesses and ensured that I’ve had opportunities to work on a good balance of different projects for my own development. Eadon’s six-monthly development reviews are really helpful for this, and I’ve seen big steps in my career progression in my first three years with the company.