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13/11/2009
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Justin Cunningham speaks to Christopher Ross, technical manager, QinetiQ.
 How did you get in to the engineering industry?
By being inspired to enter shipbuilding after seeing various ships in Hull docks when I was a boy on a visit with my Father. I remember looking up at a small coaster in the dry dock and being astonished that something so big (really a very small ship of course) could be built by people. I have progressed from the shop floor to the drawing and design offices and then through consultancy and project management to the research and development area.
What does your job involve?
I am currently the Technical Manager in the maritime business at QinetiQ, a research and development based business. My specific maritime business comprises about 175 technical staff, split over several sites and operates in four principal technical areas: Hydrodynamics, Naval Architecture and structures, Marine engineering and ship systems and Submarine escape and diving. It involves everything from concept design of new types of vessels, shock testing and analysis of equipment for use on ships, computational fluid dynamics and finite element analyses and technique development, diving physiology and medicine, survivability and vulnerability analysis, model scale experiments in Europe's biggest test tanks to full-scale trials on in-service vessels. It also includes participation in the business management and strategic direction of the business.
What current project are you working on?
The most important project, (although it is really a programme of many elements of research and support tasks), for the business is the Maritime Strategic Capabilities Agreement, a 15 year, £150M contract with the MOD to maintain and develop strategic research facilities, and the capability of the staff who use them, for the support of nationally important programmes. Our biggest single maritime project at the moment is the design, construction and trialling of the PACSCAT technology demonstrator vessel. This combines hovercraft and catamaran design elements into a single "a fast landing type vessel" to be trialled for MOD to assess the capability of this new hull form.
What is the most interesting project/piece of engineering you have been involved in?
It is probably the PACSCAT demonstrator, a really complex piece of Naval Architecture, with very challenging design constraints and requirements, as well as being a completely novel type of vessel with high levels of performance and significant safety management demands. However, in terms of personal enjoyment I have always very much appreciated the chance to work abroad, which I have been fortunate to do numerous times. Being able to see the different national and engineering cultures at work is a fantastic experience.
Has the engineering industry changed much since you joined [perhaps a move to be more sustainable, cheaper, greener etc]?
There is certainly a move towards greener issues in this industry, fuel efficiency, alternative fuels and energy sources etc. for ships, as well as the renewable energy sector. In general, human factors and safety / regulatory compliance issues dominate a lot of the work we do now, with the probabilistic / reliability based approaches replacing the older deterministic rules based approaches.
What are the current big issues facing your industry?
There is a widespread skills shortage within the maritime sector which manifests itself in almost all activities. This is a result of the abandonment of industrial training and support in previous decades and the breaking up of established design and project teams. Many experienced people have either left the maritime industry or retired, leaving behind a gap in the management and staff of many organisations.
What advice would you give to someone just entering the industry?
Try to find yourself a position which will be interesting and challenging as well as where your basic skills can develop, this will stand you in good stead later. Challenging tasks within a truly protective environment are the best way forward, building the skills and willingness to stay in engineering long term.
How do you see the industry changing going forward?
There will be an increase in the need for UK companies to contribute in the higher end of the value chain, driving forward innovation and risk management to satisfy customers' needs in multi organisation or multinational consortia. Alongside this there is no reason why the UK maritime sector cannot put forward, and follow, a broad based maritime strategy to best capitalise on the UK's existing skills, and attract Government funding as the Aerospace industry has, allowing skills shortages and necessary capabilities to be developed or maintained.
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Author
Justin Cunningham
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