AN APTITUDE for problem-solving, a technical background and the ability to work as part of a team are the three key ingredients to a successful career in manufacturing technology, according to David White, a process technician with Intel in Leixlip, Co Kildare. Intel is the world's leading manufacturer of semi-conductors, which are the brains of the PC.
"I would advise secondary students who are considering a career in the area to get a good grounding in subjects such as chemistry and physics and just go for it," he says.
White combines his shift work at Intel with studying for a diploma in information technology from DCU which will add further to his qualifications in electronics. "It's not easy," he says, "but if you want to get ahead you have to do it. Having said that, no matter how busy I get I can still find an hour or two to go to the pub."
Despite the challenge involved in part-time study, White intends to go on to study for a degree, pointing to the amount of assistance he has received from Intel as a major incentive.
"If we pass our exams they pay our fees and we also have access to their library. Even the hours at which we attend night courses are arranged to suit the shift structure," he says. White identifies the dynamic nature of the industry and the opportunities for advancement as two reasons why he sees himself staying with Intel in the long term, adding: "You don't want to leave a successful company."
Simply put, his job involves "solving problems." In case of machine errors, the tool operators call him in and he attempts to identify the faulty component. He is also involved with engineering projects which are designed to make the manufacturing process more efficient.
A typical shift for him involves working from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. three days one week and four days the next. "At the start of the shift every production team has a group meeting at which we decide the priorities for the next 12 hours. We get a passdown from the team on the previous shift who tell us about any problems which may have occurred or if there is anything to look out for," he says.
His path into his chosen career took a by now familiar course. After completing a certificate in electronics at Waterford IT, he "went on the work trail."
"I was still looking for work two months after I left college. I had gone through all the usual interviews and finally I was accepted by Intel. I didn't really know what to expect. All I knew about the company was what I had seen on the TV ads and what I had heard about its reputation," he recalls.
"I was pleasantly surprised with the work when I started. It wasn't too difficult and I fitted in fast. When you start off they give you a certain amount of responsibility which helps you to run with the ball," he says.
Intel operates a "buddy" system for new recruits in which they are paired up with mentors whom they can turn to if they have any problems. There is also an intensive training programme to get them "up to speed."
A native of Waterford, White now lives beside the plant in Leixlip and finds life there has its own advantages: He enjoys living in Leixlip. "You are just half an hour by bus from Dublin so there is always something to do at the weekends."
INTEL , established here in 1990, employs 4,100 on its Leixlip campus, producing the recently-launched Pentium 111 and Xeon micro-processors.
