Interview with Carl Enston, Alderley's Group Engineering Manager
Careers in engineering are highly rewarding! Hear from Alderley’s Group Engineering Manager on how he chose a career in engineering.
At the heart of our business is our people. As our business grows and develops, we continue to recruit highly motivated, experienced people who are passionate about engineering. We have interviewed our Group Engineering Manager, who recently joined our team, to find out his views about a career in engineering and joining the Alderley team.
1. Can you describe your role and how did you end up at Alderley?
I joined Alderley in August 2023 as the Group Engineering Manager based in Dubai. I have worked in the engineering sector for over two decades as a technician, engineer, team leader, and manager across maintenance, manufacturing, design, and R&D functions. Geographically, my career has taken me from Aberdeen, working as a Technical Manager in the North Sea’s oil and gas industry, to moving to Southeast Asia as a Technical Director for a startup developing a new type of industrial valve.
In 2018, I moved to Iraq and became the lead engineer and technical authority for a multi-million dollar valve maintenance contract in Basra. Valves, pipelines, and instruments have always played a prominent role in my career – this is something that continues to this day with Alderley in the Middle East.
2. Why did you choose a career in engineering?
I was greatly influenced by my father, who opened my eyes to the engineering world. I had a strong interest in physics at school and loved problem-solving. When it came to choosing a university course, I chose engineering as it complimented my career that I decided to pursue as a valve technician. The engineering world really appealed to me due to its focus on problem solving – this is something I enjoy to this day.
3. Why should young people choose engineering as a career? What’s your advice to someone looking to start a career in this field?
Learning about the world’s engineering challenges is an excellent way to spark interest in a prospective career in the energy industry. This could relate to the challenges in solid-state battery development or how green hydrogen is produced.
I’d encourage prospective engineers to learn about initiatives such as ITER – the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor – in France, the world’s largest nuclear fusion experiment. Finding a mentor who gives ready advice is also useful as a way to guide you through the various options in engineering.
In fact, engineering is all around us, from a paperclip on your desk to the pen in your hand or the computer screen that you’re looking at to read this. Turning ideas into reality is the scope of an engineer, and the possibilities are endless. Engineers are involved in fascinating things, and I encourage people to look around at the engineering around us, whether it’s a car driving down the road or the bridge going across a vast river.
4. What does your role entail? And what’s a typical day?
With an Alderley team of around 65 people across three departments in four countries, my day-to-day responsibility is ensuring the team works as a cohesive and collaborative unit. Communication is central to this as it helps us identify key priorities, resolve problems, and create system designs for our clients. A primary objective for our engineering team is to be within budget, on time, and deliver client solutions of the highest quality.
In my role, I try to challenge the team’s thinking and the status quo to see if we can improve something further. This commitment to learning new things is central to the work we do for clients – without it, we wouldn’t be able to deliver complicated, bespoke engineering systems.
5. What made you choose Alderley?
Alderley’s reputation in the market has stood out to me for many years. From a technical perspective, I saw joining Alderley as an opportunity to push myself further technically and as a leader. As someone with substantial valve and pipeline experience, I felt it was a perfect fit, as the systems Alderley designs contain significant piping and valves.
In the six months I’ve been with Alderley, I’ve met fantastic people and enjoy the day-to-day challenges we face as a team. Being able to solve those complicated technical challenges daily and as a team is why Alderley is a great place to work.
6. What inspires you about engineering and what are your hopes for the future?
What is truly inspiring is looking at objects as large as aeroplanes and being amazed by the human endeavour that has developed the technology.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution and the trajectory of artificial intelligence in industry is a huge opportunity. I believe that technology will enhance our lives, but there are risks and considerations that civilisations need to consider. I’m hopeful that technology will be utilised positively. However, politics and ideology can often dictate the path our civilisations and technology take.
7. Can you tell us something about yourself not known to many?
Not known to many is that I’ve completed several ultra-walks of over 100km in one go.
Our approach is simple: we are a relationship-based business, and our people are our most important asset. We are keen to work with people interested in our industry and together we can focus on developing your skills and providing you existing opportunities for growth.
We’re passionate about breaking down the stereotypes associated with our industry to make it a place where difference is recognised as a strength and talented people can achieve their highest potential.
If you’re interested in a career with us, please take a look at our latest vacancies here: www.alderley.com/careers
