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Meet Siobhan Wright

Battery Technician

Siobhan is a Junior Mechanical Design Engineer at Cognition Energy

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What I do

I design and make equipment that lets companies test batteries safely.

Every battery is different – I work with batteries like the small cylindrical cells that can fit in your pocket, up to big blade cells for electric vehicles that are almost a metre long!

I create custom holders and parts that exactly fit each battery.

I design the parts on a computer, make prototypes using 3D printers and CNC machines, then test and improve them before they’re sent to customers.

Batteries are becoming more important, for things like electric vehicles and low-carbon energy production, and the technology is improving all the time.

By helping companies test their batteries properly, I’m supporting research and innovation that will shape the future.

Battery technician Siobhan, using a screen to programme a large industrial CNC machine.

How I became a technician

At school, my GCSE options were geography, German and PE. I didn't really know what I wanted to do after school.

I didn’t have a huge amount of choice either – a lot of choices were made for me because of the academic pathway I was on.

I would have loved to study design and technology – resistant materials, but it wasn’t possible.

How I became a technician

After school, I went to college and studied A-level English language, politics and photography.

Like a lot of people around me, I was encouraged to apply to university, but none of the courses really interested me, so I never sent in my application.

Instead, I went back to college for another year and completed a Level 3 diploma in business.

How I became a technician

After that, I worked in retail, first at Go Outdoors and then Tesco. While I enjoyed it, I knew I wanted a career where I could keep learning.

I was first introduced to the idea of apprenticeships when I was looking for jobs in IT, and I came across adverts for apprenticeship places.

A little later, a friend introduced me to the world of engineering and manufacturing.

How I became a technician

I hadn't realised how many engineering companies there were, or how many apprenticeships were available, just an hour’s drive from where I lived at the time.

I registered with a local training provider. They helped me apply to a Level 3 Engineering Technician apprenticeship at Cognition Energy.

I was so happy to be offered a place!

How I became a technician

My apprenticeship lasted four years. The first year was spent at the training provider, where I completed my Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications.

The following three years were a mix of being in work and learning at the training provider. I also completed a Higher National Certificate (HNC) during this time.

When I finished, I became a full-time Junior Mechanical Design Engineer with the company.

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A typical day in my working life

I normally start work at 7am, because I like getting in early and finishing around 3:30pm. My work is flexible – they don’t mind when I start and finish, as long as I get my work done.

If I'm the first person in, I open up all the different buildings on our site before sitting down at my desk and logging onto my computer.

A typical day in my working life

Most days start with designing new parts for testing batteries. I do this on my computer using CAD (Computer Aided Design) software.

Customers come to us with batteries that need testing, so I design bespoke holders and equipment to fit exactly what they need. Once I've finished a design, I make the first prototype myself.

A typical day in my working life

I use a CNC (Computer Numerical Control) milling machine to cut metal parts into shape and 3D printers to make plastic components.

After that, I work with our electronics engineer to build everything together before we test it in our battery laboratories.

A typical day in my working life

If something needs improving, I redesign it and make another version.

One thing I really like is that no two projects are the same. Every customer brings a different challenge, so I'm always learning something new.

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Battery technician Siobhan, sat at her desk in an office, working across a laptop and two large monitors, displaying 3D CAD designs. A keyboard, mouse, notebook and desk accessories are arranged around the workstation.

What I love about my job

I love that my job is a balance between designing parts on a computer and then making them in our workshop.

I enjoy seeing an idea go from a sketch on a screen to a real product that works.

It’s especially satisfying when I create something from scratch, test it, improve it and then see customers using it.

Knowing that something I designed is now helping companies all over the world makes me really proud.

The skills I use most

Problem solving is probably the biggest skill I use. Customers often ask us to test batteries in completely new ways, so my team and I have to work out how to make it happen safely.

We’ve been asked to test batteries with lasers, batteries that need to work submerged in oil, and even that a battery could cope with a current of 1000 amps (which is as much as 10 houses!).

I also use technology every day. I design parts using CAD software, programme CNC machines and prepare files for 3D printers. When I started, I had to teach myself a lot of the software by experimenting and learning as I went.

It's especially satisfying when I create something from scratch, test it, improve it and then see customers using it.
Knowing that something I designed is now helping companies all over the world makes me really proud.
Trust yourself and don't be afraid to look beyond the path that everyone expects you to take.

A little more about my everyday role

The best bits about working in a team

I'm really lucky to work in such a supportive team. My manager has always encouraged me to keep learning and has supported me through my qualifications.

The two other technicians I work with each bring different skills. We share ideas, solve problems together and help each other when we get stuck. Having experts around me means I learn something new all the time, and it makes tackling difficult projects much more enjoyable.

My favourite piece of equipment

My favourite machine is our CNC milling machine. I design a part on the computer, create the machining programme and then watch the machine cut it out of a solid block of metal.

It's incredibly satisfying seeing something I imagined become a real object. I also enjoy looking after the machine because it needs regular maintenance, from changing coolant to cleaning filters and keeping everything running smoothly. Looking after it is just as important as using it.

What I like to do in my spare time

I'm a huge music fan – I'm almost always listening to something.

I enjoy going to gigs and festivals whenever I can. One of my favourites is Truck Festival, which is so close to where I work that I can hear it from the office. I enjoy all kinds of music, although drum and bass is probably my favourite.

My school days

I really enjoyed school and have lots of happy memories from it. I was lucky because everyone in my year got on well together.

My school building was brand new when I started, so everything felt modern and exciting.

The most exciting thing I’ve achieved so far in my job

The achievement I'm proudest of was the first product that I designed, built and tested myself, before it was sold to a customer.

It was a great feeling seeing something that started as my own idea become a real product. Even better, other companies have since bought the same design, so I know it's helping lots of different companies around the world.

A surprising fact about my job

Most people are surprised when they discover where I work. Our battery testing laboratories are on a farm!

People often arrive wondering if they've come to the right place because they're expecting a huge industrial site. Then they walk through the door and find advanced engineering laboratories inside. It always makes me smile.

The next steps in my career journey

I'm currently studying for my Higher National Diploma (HND), which I'm completing online while working. My company gives me one day each week to study, which I'm really grateful for.

In the future, I'd like to progress from Junior Mechanical Design Engineer to Senior Mechanical Design Engineer. If I get the opportunity, I'd eventually like to complete a degree.

The advice I’d give to someone younger

Discover what it is you want, not what other people think you should do. Explore all the different options that are available. If I'd known more about apprenticeships and engineering earlier, I could have started this journey sooner.

Trust yourself and don't be afraid to look beyond the path that everyone expects you to take.

Battery technician Siobhan, wearing safety glasses, filing a metal component held in a bench vice in a workshop, with industrial equipment, shelving and a drill press in the background.

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