Five Minutes With Dillon Clements

Hi Dillon, could you tell us a bit more about your work at SEA?

In my role, I put things together. There’s a lot of manual tasks, like pressure testing, or band-it clamping, but it can be a wide range. I like anything that involves tools and a bit of construction! For example, I’ve worked on our Torpedo Launcher Systems, which I really loved. I’ve always wanted to work with my hands, it’s very therapeutic, and I can’t see myself do anything else. Although it can definitely be challenging to make sure everything works the way it’s supposed to. If I’ve put something together and it doesn’t work like it should, it can be very challenging to find out why.

You went through our apprenticeship scheme, how did that go?

Before I joined as an apprentice, I did my work experience for college here, and I really liked the way the company worked. I applied for a production apprenticeship through the Engineering Trust Training (ETT), as production was the path that suited me best.

From day one, I was assigned a mentor who taught me how to do various production tasks, or in some cases paired me up with people who knew how to do it. Sometimes I had to practice on expendable scrap metal before working on an actual project. I was moved through multiple different projects to make sure I’d get as much experience as possible and was exposed to a variety of work.

During my apprenticeship here, one of the most important things I learned is how to problem solve; finding the root of an issue and making sure it doesn’t happen again, before you can consider it solved.

I would recommend an apprenticeship route, as it allows you to build work experience and qualifications, which is very attractive to companies, as you’re not completely untested in the workplace.

How has the transition from apprentice to your current role been?

There’s a lot more paperwork as an apprentice for one, because you need to make sure you’ve ticked every box from what you’ve learned, and the list for your entire apprenticeship can be long. You need to align your projects to that checklist too. I have since taken on other extra tasks that require paperwork, but overall, I’d say there’s still way less paperwork to take home.

Do you have any advice for people who are interested in becoming a Skilled Assembly Technician?

You need a lot of self-motivation. There’s always work to be done, and there’s always something to learn if you try. If you’re doing the same thing over and over, there is always someone you can ask for more learning opportunities or to gain experience from.

The only way you really build production skills, is by doing the work. When starting a job, make sure you understand exactly what’s needed from you and what the outcome needs to be. You can do that by following the instructions closely, or by talking to someone who’s done the same thing before you.

Thank you, Dillon.

If you’d like to learn more about life at SEA, have a look at our Careers page.