Richard joined Corus as a Mechanical
Engineer in 2006, with a view to becoming
chartered with the IMechE.
Name: Richard Tuxford
University: University of Nottingham
Degree: Masters degree with honours in
Mechanical Engineering
Job Title: Graduate Mechanical Engineer,
Corus
So how did you get into Engineering?
"I really didn't start to give my working life
much thought until I started college, but have
always been interested in understanding how
things around me work. I think this stems
from being taken to watch a lot of motorbike
racing with my dad when I was younger. I
had always enjoyed, and been successful at,
Maths, Physics and Design during my time
at school, so engineering seemed to be the
logical progression from there."
...And how did you find out about Corus?
"Having lived near the steelworks in
Scunthorpe up until I went to university, I
had obviously heard about the apprenticeship
schemes that were available. However, it
wasn't until the latter years at university that
I heard about the graduate scheme. I spoke to
a friend who had been on the apprenticeship
scheme and continued through onto the
graduate scheme via a sponsorship from
Corus, and I decided that it definitely merited
further investigation."
So now you've joined, what do you actually
do?
"I'm currently on a short placement in the
Engineering Steels design office as part of my
professional development working towards
gaining Chartered Engineering status with
the IMechE. During my time with Corus
I have had placements as a Maintenance
Engineer in the Coke Ovens, Scunthorpe Rod
Mill and Central Engineering Workshops, as
well as a secondment to the Major Contracts
Project team. During my time in the design
office I have put to use the AutoCAD design
experience that I have gained during my
studies in order to produce and detail the
required drawings requested by plant. During
my time on plant as a Graduate Mechanical
Maintenance Engineer, I have worked on
many different projects, which have involved
lots of hands-on engineering in order to get
the task done. Also, I have been responsible
for ensuring that safe systems of work have
been followed, to ensure anyone carrying out
any work is safe, and has full knowledge of
how to perform the tasks required."
...And what do you most like about your job?
"One of the things I have enjoyed most about
working with Corus is getting to know the
many different people within the company.
As you can imagine, there are some fantastic
characters that work here, both young and old,
and they make the working day an enjoyable
experience."
What skills do you need to make a success
of what you do?
"On an engineering level, I feel that the ability
to visualise how something works or how
components will interact is an essential skill
for any Mechanical Engineer, particularly
when it comes to carrying out maintenance
work on plant, or creating drawings in the
design office. On a more general level, being
able to form both working and personal
relationships with those you interact with will
help you get the best out of your work."
Would you undertake further study to progress
your career?
"Of course, I think it would be naïve to
assume that your degree alone is going to
be enough to see you progress through your
career unaided. Whilst I have been at Corus
I have attended various courses, from those
related to steel making, through to courses on
developing personal skills and safety training.
In the future I would also like to undertake
some studying in order to develop a greater
knowledge of the business world."
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