15 replies to this topic

[Simon]

Well done girl. What coulour is your night...No sorry.

Where do you live and what are your hobbies or things you like to do?

Simon

[Franco]

How did you get into quality ?

[SAM]

I live in a small town on the outskirts of Lichfield called Burntwood, although I spend most of my weekends in Derby (Better nightlife).

Hobbies: Photography, Listening to music, Reading, Visiting friends who now seem to be scattered the length and breadth of the country, clubbing.

I also recently started snowboarding, as I live fairly near to Tamworth snowdome, so I suppose I can also say that I like sliding down a hill on my rear with an ironing board strapped to my fit, and getting ridiculously huge bruises!!

As for how I got into quality, it was sort of by accident. I had to do some work experience at the end of my second year of a Biology/Chemistry degree, so I started at a local vinegar factory in the laboratory as a technician. At the end of the work experience I got called to see the MD who offered me a permanent job, after a couple of days deliberation, and talking to friends who had already got their degree, my options were to go into teaching or work for Egg (credit card company based in Derby) I decided to take up the offer ofthe job, as I enjoyed it.

After two years in the lab, the Technical Manager left the company, and as I had done an internal auditor course (that I had never used) I was the most experienced person on site to take over control of the quality systems. The MD at the time wanted to take the quality systems away from the control of the Technical Manager, so he made a new position - Systems & Audit manager (hence my name on here being SAM!!) I was rushed onto a lead auditor course, and Advanced Food Hygiene and am now responsible for the Quality Systems and Food Hygiene training.

I have been here for 7 years now, a lot of changes have happened to the company in that time (not all good), so maybe thinking about moving on to pastures new at some point in the near future.

It seems to me that no-one actually goes for a job in quality, it is just something that is thrust upon them!!

[Franco]

hence my name on here being SAM!!

It would have been next question

Any picture of your town ? Local traditions ? Favourite food ?

It seems to me that no-one actually goes for a job in quality, it is just something that is thrust upon them!!

[SAM]

Burntwood is a town that is made up of a number of, what where, small villages called Chase Terrace, Chasetown, Hammerwich and Burntwood. Lichfield had this thing in the 80s and 90s of not wanting to ruin the historic look of the city, so all new housing projects went to the outskirts. Hammerwich is the only part of Burntwood that still looks like a village, and hopefully it will stay that way.

Lichfield is famous for its cathedral, with the three spires
Lichfield Cathedral Link

and Samuel Johnson was born in Lichfield, he had a thing for Dictionaries(!!)
Samuel Johnson Link

Also Erasmus Darwin set up a medical practice in Lichfield, and it is thought that he came up with the idea of natural selection before his grandson Charles.

It is a lovely place if you have a young family or are retired, but for anyone else there is not a huge amount to do, hence me spending most of my time in Derby, which is not too far away.

Local traditions: every year the sheriff of Lichfield rides around the outskirts on th back of a horse, causing the A38 to close for about half an hour (CHAOS!!) and there is the Lichfield festival which has a medieavel market, jazz, and a rock festival as part of it. Makes a good couple of weeks.

Oh I've just remembered something else, Tony Christie lives in Lichfield and performed at the local fete this year........Everybody

"Show me the way to amarillo......"

Favourite Food: I love anything Italian, unfortunately there are very few good Italian restaurants around here, I also Like greek, Mexican and have started to have a liking for Sushi, it comes from working for a Japanese company!!

[Simon]

Lichfield sounds really nice, but then again I'm past clubbing and all that these days. BTW I like the idea of using an acronym made from your job title for your member name. It wouldn't have been so effective if your job title had been Quality & Hygiene Manager (QHM) or something un-acronym friendly like that. Coincidentally I was going to use the same method to pick my member name, but decided against it.

Sam apart from Daddy Long Legs is there anything that really irritates you or you have a phobia about?


Simon
Safepak Head of International Trade

[Simon]

Sam where are you?

[Franco]

Nadine, tell us about your greatest victory    and your worst defeat 

Edited by Franco, 09 September 2005 - 11:16 AM.

[SAM]

Sorry, been caught up in meetings!!

Phobias... I'm a bit claustraphobic, but I don't really have any phobias, apart from the dreaded Daddy long legs whish is just evil!!

Greatest Victory - I can't really think of anything, it was probably getting into the RAF.

Greatest Defeat - The RAF withdrawing the offer of a place in the RAF because the course I wanted to do was full, I was going in as a student nurse.

I'd still like to get into Nursing, so my greatest victory might come in the not to distant future



I don't think the RAF would have me now though, I'm a bit old to be a student nurse!!

Nadine.x

[Franco]

Greatest Victory - I can't really think of anything, it was probably getting into the RAF. Greatest Defeat - The RAF withdrawing the offer of a place in the RAF because the course I wanted to do was full, I was going in as a student nurse.

Is it the Royal Air Force ? Really ?

[Simon]

If you wanted we could continue with this when you have more time Nadine. For now thanks very much for stepping in at such short notice.

Regards,
Simon

[SAM]

Dear All,

Just a quick note to say that I am leaving the world of quality and entering the world of Nursing.

As of April I will be a student at the university of Wolverhampton, based at Burton hospital. Until then I will be working in a care home, I am trying to reduce my income slowly back to a point where it is all student debts, and no income!!

All a little bit scary, but it is something that I have needed to do for a long time.

I still have a month to work, so I will probably be back on before I leave for good, and I will probably pop back on now and again to see what's going on in the quality world, but as for the quality world as a whole, that will be that.

Thank you to all of you who helped when I first started this job, being thrown into the deep end with little quality experience, I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't come across you lot, so thank you all again, and may all of your audits go well, may all of your non conformities be minor!!

Nadine.

[Simon]

Oh wow Nadine. It wouldn't have been healthy for you mixing with us geeks for much longer anyway.

Of course I'm sad but very happy for you at the same time. Good luck for the future I know you'll be a great nurse. If I get sick I'll ask them to take me to Burton.

Best Wishes,

Simon



Guys can someone please sign up a new woman…

[Franco]

All a little bit scary, but it is something that I have needed to do for a long time.

Nadine , I wish you're going to live your "personal legend", as Paulo Coelho says.
May your patients be as lucky as Saferpakers to meet such a person
Franco

[SAM]

Simon,

I would probably avoid Burton Hospital for a while, unless you like being used as a pin cushion!!

Its all a bit sad really!!

I will make sure that I tell my replacement of this site before I go.

Thank you for your kind messages!

nadine

[yorkshire]

Good luck Nadine.