CERN's Technician Training Experience notches up another success!
The programme was set up almost three years ago to help address a Europe-wide shortage of highly skilled technicians, with the participants gaining valuable skills and experience in an international environment. It’s clear that the programme works: some of the technician fellows who have taken part are being snapped up by major science projects and the high-tech industry.
Going underground: Fay Chicken at work in ATLAS.
Fay Chicken (see UK news from CERN 59) has just accepted a job offer from the European Spallation Source in Sweden, where she will be working in the detector development team: “I’m also going to be setting up a new workshop where prototype detectors will be built. When I went to Lund, I was shown a big, empty room – it’s up to me to equip it!”
This level of responsibility is a big step up for Fay, but there is no doubt that her time at CERN has both built her confidence to take on the role, and convinced ESS that she can do it.
One of the key requirements of the ESS job description was that candidates should have experience of working in an international environment and, as Fay says, “you can’t get much more international than CERN.” Having spent almost two years in Geneva, she has also demonstrated that she is willing to live and work outside her home country, and that’s an important consideration for any international employer.
“Working at CERN has been an amazing opportunity – I’m leaving with so much experience on my CV and I’ve been very lucky to work with a really nice group of people,” says Fay. “I’ve definitely made the most of my time here.”
Fay’s career has clearly benefited from the TTE, and similar opportunities are available to any recently qualified apprentices with a technical diploma. For more information and to apply, take a look online. The next round of applications will open shortly, with a closing date in March.
This article was originally published in UK news from CERN.
