I started my career in 1972 as a Technician Apprentice at the Royal Naval Stores Depot, Corsham, where the Ministry of Defence operated an Apprentice Training Centre known as the Technician Apprentice Training Centre (TATC).

Initially I studied Mechanical and Electrical Engineering at Bath College in 6-week blocks, this scheme allowed two groups of students to attend the College throughout the academic year.

In 1974 I joined the Royal Aircraft Establishment at West Drayton, located in Hillingdon close to London Heathrow Airport.

I was trained in the design of high, medium and low voltage systems used on Her Majesty’s Warships, and spent much of my formative years designing electrical safety systems. Following this, I went on to become an RN Trials Officer responsible for managing and planning Warship trials covering topics such as power supply quality, mechanical shock (via sea mines at Portsmouth) and at-sea diagnostic trials (Portland).

Throughout the period of 1978-1982, I studied for a Degree in Electrical Engineering at Brunel University (Uxbridge) via an MOD bursary, which proved to be an innovative approach to studying, as I had to blend study with work experience, which enabled me to apply my learning to real-world problems. This approach gave me a unique insight into electrical engineering theory and practice, which I applied throughout my career and which I believe, has made me standout from my peers. The MOD was able to apply this approach as they were funded the degree programme tailored to their business needs. During my time at Brunel, I specialised in microprocessors at a time in their formative years and I learnt everything I know from Professor Douglas Lewis and Ivor Catt synonymous for the ‘Catt Spiral’ *

Following my time at RAE West Drayton, I moved to the Royal Naval Armament Depot, Ernesettle in Plymouth, as a graduate engineer, where I became the assistant chief engineer, responsible for various engineering aspects of the site such as: electrical, explosive and environmental safety, electro-magnetic effects on explosive ordnance, including static electric discharges together with air quality used for missile testing, defect management and Legionella pathogen infection management of the site’s cooling systems.

Following this placement, I joined the Chief Inspector of Naval Ordnance at Bath, where I transferred a US designed software programme; an finite element technique to enable the effects of heat on explosives to be modelled through to an explosion. This work was followed by the design and introduction of an Armament Depot production planning system called NAWBUS, the primary aim of which was to efficiently manage Royal Naval stocks of Armaments for explosive life and safety.

I then joined the Combat System division in Portsdown in Portsmouth, where I coordinated Warship data management to ensure common standards were used in the UK RN Fleet, to then achieve inter-operability international Navy’s and especially with NATO and the USA. Then I joined the Type-45 Frigate Combat System design team, influencing many aspects of the combat system network such as the use of blown fibres and data standards.

Following this placement and promoted to Group Leader, I led the software programme for the Trident Missile Targeting System where I held a senior position in the UK Government. In 2008, I gained an MSc in electronic engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).