About Jack

Hi! I’m Jack, a Technical Hardware Engineer (Auto Electrician) at Microlise. I joined the company in March 2023, and what a journey it’s been so far! Auto electrics have been the backbone of my life for the past 4 years. From Glossop to Australia, I have picked up so many new skills and met some amazing people along the way!

Fresh out of college, I started my career with auto electrics during the pandemic working as a contractor. A typical day would involve body builds, running cables, camera installations and fitting trackers on HGVs around the Manchester area. I was extremely fortunate to work with a brilliant mentor, who gave me valuable insight into the world of telematics; developing me into the Auto Electrician I am today.

The Recruitment Process

I initially learnt about Microlise during some installation work in a previous role. I even met some of the Hardware Services team – who then became friendly faces during my interview process.

I was excited about potentially joining the Microlise team, and initially registered for job alerts on the careers website. Shortly after, I received an email for a suitable position local to me. I applied immediately, and within 48 hours received a call from the Recruitment Team inviting me to an interview!

The interview process was slick and efficient, yet thorough. I had the opportunity to meet with one of the Directors, who during the interview said “we look after our employees, because they look after our customers”. This really resonated with me, and has shown throughout my journey so far.

Training

I initially had two weeks training at Head Office in Nottingham. This gave me the chance to meet the team and learn the basics of telematics, before going out on a customer site with a Team Leader. The infrastructure at Microlise for new starters is fantastic. You’re not thrown in at the deep end, and everyone is especially helpful to ensure you’re confident in what you’re doing before going out into the field.

You get to spend time with a variety of Engineers and they’re always at the end of the phone to support you if you need it. My Team Leader called every day to check in with me and I never felt like I wasn’t being supported.

A Typical Day

To be honest, there isn’t a typical day! I’ve always had an interest in IT and electronics – there is even a photo a six year old me, very proud of the lightbulb circuit I’d made! So, for me, this role is a perfect blend of two things I am passionate about. You experience the hands-on electrical side on the vehicles, whilst utilising your IT skills e.g. testing the wire systems and utilising SQL. The role is varied and I continuously learn new skills, for example I’ve recently obtained a scissor lift and cherry picker qualification.

Highlights so far

I have been lucky in my time at Microlise and achieved so many things that I didn’t think I would in 10 months. In particular, the opportunity to come and work in Australia for a couple of months. It’s been great doing some installation work over here and meeting our Australian colleagues. I hadn’t been abroad for 10 years, so jumped at the chance when it was offered to me – although the heat does take some getting used to. Luckily there is a water park close to where we’re staying and I’ve been making the most of going for runs along the beach!

I was also awarded “Best Newcomer 2023” by my peers at our annual Employee Awards in December! I was grateful to win and thankful to everyone who voted for me, I wasn’t expecting it at all but it goes to show that you’re not just a number at Microlise. If you put your mind to it, and want to progress, then you can achieve great things here.

To anyone thinking of applying…

Go for it, and don’t be nervous during your interviews! They train everyone with utmost respect and are not going to throw you in at the deep end. Microlise really care about their employees.  Everyone I’ve come into contact with is friendly and willing to help as much as possible.