Metrology Technician
Imogen is an apprentice Metrology Technician at Johnson & Johnson MedTech
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 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.
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.
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.
Our calibration team is a small team of three. 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. 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.
I’m a big Lego fan, and always have been. I still buy sets now and most of my wages are probably spent on Lego Star Wars sets - I’m running out of space to display them 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 getting a bike isn’t too far off.
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.
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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