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Meet Imogen Stoddart

Metrology Technician

Imogen is an apprentice Metrology Technician at Johnson & Johnson MedTech

What I do

I help make replacement body parts for joints, such as knees, hips, shoulders and elbows. Using precise measuring equipment, I make sure the parts we create are exactly the right size and shape, so that they fit perfectly inside a patient’s body. If anything is even slightly wrong, it could cause problems for the patient, like delaying their recovery or even making it hard for them to walk, so everything has to be spot on.

Imogen handling equipment on a tabletop in the lab.

How I became a technician

At school, my GCSE options were geography, photography, computer science and I also did a BTEC in food tech. I actually wanted to be a doctor when I was younger, but then I realised I’m way too squeamish to be around blood! I’ve always loved motorbikes and understanding how things work, so I started looking into technical jobs instead.

How I became a technician

Everyone at school talks about going to college or sixth form, but I knew I didn’t want to sit in a classroom for two more years. I prefer hands-on learning, so I looked into apprenticeships. I found this one with Johnson & Johnson MedTech on the government website. I applied straight after my GCSEs and got it. Choosing an apprenticeship felt like a big step, but I’ve never regretted it.

How I became a technician

I started with a Level 2 apprenticeship, which is like doing your GCSEs again but in a workplace setting. Now I’m doing my Level 3, which is equivalent to A-levels. I get hands on experience in the industry; earn a wage and I’m still learning all the time. It suits me perfectly.

A typical day in my working life

My day starts at 7am. First, I check my emails and look to see if any equipment needs calibrating. That means checking the accuracy of the tools we use, so they measure things correctly. If we can’t calibrate it ourselves, we arrange for the manufacturer to come in and do it for us.

A typical day in my working life

I also collect gauges (instruments that display the amount, level or contents of something) from around the site, make sure they’re at the right room temperature, and start testing them to see if they’re still accurate. Some of our machines, like Coordinate Measuring Machines, need special calibration too.

A typical day in my working life

Sometimes I work on bigger projects. Recently I helped remove two massive machines from a hospital in London that we’d loaned them. I had to talk to surgeons and contractors and organise everything so the machines could be taken out without damaging the building. It felt really good to see the project through from start to finish and know I played a key part in it. Every day is different, and there’s always something interesting going on.

Imogen calibrating a piece of equipment in the lab.

What I love about my job

One of the things I love most is working with our big measuring machines, especially the Coordinate Measuring Machines. It’s a big bit of kit with a robotic arm to measure objects really precisely. I’ve been learning how to write programs for the machines so they know exactly where to measure, how to interpret what it has measured and display it correctly. It’s like telling a robot what to do and then watching it check parts down to tiny measurements. It’s great when you see it working perfectly.

The skills I use most

Attention to detail is a big one. The process engineering team use computer-controlled machines to make the replacement joints out of metal and plastic. They rely on us to provide very accurate measurements, otherwise something might not fit properly inside a patient’s body. It’s a lot of responsibility, but it feels amazing knowing I’m part of that process. I’ve definitely learnt to be more confident and ask questions. It’s better to speak up than to stay quiet and guess.

It’s nice knowing that even though I’m an apprentice, I have real responsibilities and a team I can rely on.
I used to be really quiet and worried about asking questions, but honestly, people are always happy to help.
Speak up, give things a go and don’t be afraid to try something different.

A little more about my everyday role

The best part of working in a team

Our calibration team is small; there are only three of us. My colleagues have over 60 years of experience between them and they’re brilliant to work with. They’re really supportive and always happy to explain things. But we’re also part of a wider team of about twenty people, and we’re all responsible for making the replacement joints correctly. It’s nice knowing that even though I’m an apprentice, I have real responsibilities and a team I can rely on.

What I like to do in my spare time

I’m a big Lego fan, always have been. I still buy sets now and most of my wages probably go to Lego Star Wars sets. I’m running out of space to display it all! I’m also really into motorbikes. I don’t have one yet (I’m still working on convincing my parents) but I love going to bike events and seeing how the bikes are built. I’ve got my driving licence, so hopefully a bike isn’t too far off.

The next steps in my career journey

I’m about halfway through my apprenticeship, which I’ll finish in around two years. After that, I’d like to keep working in metrology and go further with my training. I’d love to keep learning how to programme other languages and take on bigger projects.

The advice I’d give to someone younger

Put yourself out there. I used to be really quiet and worried about asking questions, but honestly, people are always happy to help. No one thinks you’re silly for asking, in fact, they’ll respect you for wanting to learn. So, speak up, give things a go and don’t be afraid to try something different.

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