Thursday 30th September 2010

A week ago, the windfarm project I have been working on was officially opened. It was in all the papers. No really, it was in ALL the papers, and on every TV channel. The biggest offshore windfarm in the world; 100 3MW 90m high turbines were declared operational and the project open.



And seeing what I have been working on, on the news was very satisfying indeed. When we leave Dover and head home on the Deal road, a vista opens up and we can see all along the coast to Ramsgate some 10 miles or so away. And beyond Ramsgate, if the light is right and the air clear, we can see the windfarm. In fact it was just about Christmas last year when it became clear to us that something was going on off Ramsgate, we could see somethings being built in the sea. We don’t get Kentish newspapers, and rarely watch local TV; so we were unaware of the Thanet project being built; or even planned.



At the end of January, I was employed for a week to do some survey work on the project, and I got to go out to the windfarm about four times, and during breaks in work got to take some snaps of the towers and the ship that installs them. Seeing the towers up close is impressive, even if at that point they were not turning, but still; my final view of the farm was as we finished the job and we headed back into port at dusk, and the towers were silhouetted against a red sky.



Months passed and nothing more; we could see the windfarm being built, and sometimes I went to Ramsgate to snap the barge used to take the transition pieces, or the transition pieces themselves after they had been delivered from Holland . And then I saw a job advertised; I thought I could do that. I called the agency, told them I could do the job because of my experience, they thought I could do the job. They called the construction company. They also thought I could do the job; we arranged an interview. I did well in the interview, and said the right things and they seemed pleased.
Turns out they decided not to interview anyone else and the enxt day offered me the job! But, only for as long as the project lasted, maybe until the end of the summer.



So, I started, and after being given a computer, a half morning presentation, I was pretty much left to it. Now, the question is, what is it you do at work, Ian? And I would say, that is a very good question; but it did take me a couple a months to work out exactly what it was I did or was supposed to do. It is my job to look at quality; quality of items and processes of the turbines, and where appropriate raise an NCR form; and once again, where appropriate, try to recover costs if it can be proven that the costs are justified and can be claimed back.

And so the e mail ping pong began. Asking questions; gathering knowledge; and making a pest of myself. But at some point in July, it began to make sense, and I learned to use the rules that had been quoted to me against them. That ‘them’ are other parts of the same company I work for, and they drag their heels and refuse to play ball and there is no real appeals procedure. Well, I did get things done, and in quite a big way. Changes in the way the company worked, and dealt with other parts of the company were adopted by one part. And then we could use that to coerce other parts into doing the same thing. And then the money started coming in; which is how I am judged on how well I am doing my job.

In the back of my mind was the thought that at some point at the end of August or September, the job would just cease to exist, and I would be on the dole once more. So I started to apply for jobs in other parts of the company, but unbeknown to me, by boss was getting twitchy, and he had a plan.

I was asked to go into the conference room one day, and he offered me a permanent job; right out. There were some issues to iron out, which I think we have done, but the upshot is, that today the 30th September is my final day as an agency worker, and tomorrow I come in as normal but now as a salaried permanent employee.

I should be on Thanet maybe for another month or so, but beyond that there is a world of possibilities; this time next year we should be into pre-assembly on a new project in Belgium , or somewhere close, and I will be doing this job, maybe training someone to work under me!

So, this is a good day, it really is. We are able to plan to get the roof on the house fixed before the autumn storms begin, get a load of wood for the burner, and be generally happy with the way life pans out; especially as the economic outlook in olde Englande looks bleak. To be working in a growth industry is a great thing, and for now, we are happy and secure.

Thank you for listening.