Carrie Hogan is an Apprentice Engineer at our manufacturing site in Braunton, North Devon. Carrie was the first female engineering apprentice at the site and below she shares some insights with us!
What inspired you to follow your chosen career path? When I joined Perrigo in April 2020, I never expected to be where I am today. I was looking for an escape from Retail as the job had become too detrimental to my mental health so I applied for a Raw Material Sampler position. I enjoyed this role but I knew I wanted more from my work. In September of last year, I noticed that there was a vacancy for an Apprentice Engineer. I enquired about it and was offered to come and work alongside the engineers for a week to see what it was like. After the first day I knew that this was exactly what I wanted to do. It has meant committing to four years of training and study and also going back to college but for me I truly believe I am investing in my future. I am just sorry I did not consider this line of work when I was younger! I never thought this was possible for me.
What hurdles or challenges have you faced at work and how did you overcome them? It is always scary starting in a new role and I think this was my biggest challenge. Even though I had already worked at Perrigo for over a year, I had never “crossed the line” into the amber zone. Being the only female on the team meant I had no one to do this with! The team have been so welcoming though and everyone around has been so supportive, nearly everyday someone new asks me how I am getting on and mentions its great that I went for it. It really gives me a boost.
What advice would you give to help remove unconscious bias and enable a more diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment? Fact before feeling. Always consider the facts over a “gut feeling”. This can sometimes be the source of unconscious bias. I would also like to say that you should always back yourself and take opportunities when they are available. I still cannot really believe that I am training to be a qualified Engineer and it never would have happened if I hadn’t have put myself out there and tried.
We are constantly looking to add talent to our teams in Braunton - if you are looking for a new career opportunity then why not take a look at our open vacancies ! Take your next step alongside a range of passionate colleagues and a supportive leadership team!