Celebrating voices of the North East's engineering spirit, past and present.
Andy asks James about his engineering career overseeing the Tyne Bridge and lesser-known historic mining or rail bridges across the city. They reminisce the impressive installation of the Millennium Bridge. Also, they chat about shifting careers into the renewable sector, the challenges of building wind and solar farms, improving National Grid and energy distribution solutions, and the important role of engineering apprenticeships in the North East today.
Andy chats to Ruth about the gender expectations she faced when making career choices at school. Ruth shares her career progression from truck garage receptionist to designing umbilical pipelines. Ruth recalls being a woman engineer navigating different attitudes and expectations in a male-dominated workforce and reflects on the small number of women applying to apprenticeships today. Also, they chat about the impact of deindustrialisation and globalisation in the North East.
John tells Andy about his family’s migration from Ireland to Seaham Harbour in the 1880s, and his family history in the northern coalfields. John outlines his early experiences in the collieries, to working for British Coal Research and becoming an engineer. John shares his memories of the 1984 Miner’s Strike, marching, marriage, marras and receiving two chickens from trade unionists at Christmas that year. Also, John describes an almost fatal mining injury and the dangers of working underground.
Andy asks David about his early interest in engineering through LEGO, and taking his own initiative to find engineering-based vocational training opportunities, when schools career advice offered him lacklustre support. He shares his experience applying for and undertaking a British Engines apprenticeship, and day to day life in the factory.
Andy asks Bob about how he got involved in engineering, after leaving school at 14 with no qualifications. Bob shares his experiences at C.A Parsons after securing an intense internship, such as being given files to harden his hands. They chat about occupational safety, being exposed to asbestos, compensation campaigns, and the dangers of working in a flour mill.
Chandra tells Andy about how a popular role model was the reason he move from India to Dundee to pursue a master’s degree in engineering, along with life settling in to a new city and finding new communities. Also, Chandra shares personal experiences of racism throughout North East engineering institutions and board rooms.
This podcast forms part of The Common Room's Our Voices project, gathering stories of mining, engineering and industry that have shaped our region as we know it. Follow the link below to find out more, meet the oral historian, and be the first to hear about future plans.
