In the run up to National Apprenticeship Week, JCB Plant Quality Lead Hannah Alsopp explains how her career has taken off since joining the company as an apprentice.
“I joined JCB fresh out of school. I did my GCSEs and AS Levels at Thomas Alleyne’s High School in Uttoxeter, but I realised that I struggled to apply myself in an exam environment and thought it might be better to do an apprenticeship.
I have lived in Uttoxeter for 25 of my 27 years, so I knew that JCB has a good reputation locally. I always wanted to work here because it’s very well-spoken of and I knew there were good opportunities for career progression and personal development.
I always wanted to be in quality and doing the apprenticeship gave me that opportunity which I am really grateful for.
I started off as a level 3 quality technician apprentice and completed that over a three-year period. Immediately after finishing I was approached by senior management to work on agricultural pre-delivery inspection, enhancing the quality standards of the agricultural machinery that the customer receives.
I was team leader there for two years, before moving on to be rotating telescopic handler quality group leader in September 2019. It was the first rotating telehandler that JCB had made and I was excited to be involved with a brand new product from the very beginning from a quality perspective.
I was there until September this year when I came back from maternity leave into a new role as Plant Quality Lead for Loadall at the World HQ.
I’m currently studying for the Chartered Quality Institute (CQI) level 3 qualification and would eventually like to do my level 6. I like to give myself the extra push. My aspirations now are about improving my education and understanding, and it’s great to be able to do that through working at JCB.
Working as part of the quality department appeals to me as I take pride in the end product and ensuring it meets the customer’s expectations.”