What made you join Studiotech?
I have always admired Studiotech and their work from afar. The projects they have been involved with have really made an impression on me, in particular the bespoke elements they can bring to a project. They have always pioneered the lighting controls and integration industry and I was really keen to join the journey.
What was your job prior to joining Studiotech?
My whole passion for lighting started when I got involved with a local theatre group helping out with the lighting. I started working in Madame Tussauds, as an apprentice electrician. As you can imagine, this was an extremely fun job, being surrounded by celebrities every day! I gained more experience in AV with the multiple systems we used, which only fuelled my interest in lighting and AV. After this, I started working at AC Special Projects as a project manager, however I had always admired Studiotech’s work. Over the years I became acquainted with many of the staff after meeting them at industry events and this eventually led to me working for them today. A huge ambition of mine that I was proud to achieve.
Tell us a bit about your role at Studiotech –
As a Project Manager, my job is to oversee an entire project throughout the process. Once I get handed a project from the sales team, I work alongside the operations team in order to process materials, allocate labour and produce drawing packages and programmes of work for the onsite teams. In addition to this, I also attend site meetings with the clients, M&E contractors, and architects to deliver the project within the allocated time frame and to the highest possible standard.
What surprised you the most about working at Studiotech?
The vast range of in-house resources we have at our disposal is amazing – I was completely unaware of the range of skills Studiotech could offer in-house. This high level of expertise allows for the delivery of really bespoke projects.
What are you most excited for at Studiotech?
I’m currently working on an experience centre in London which is going to be impressive and has lots of integration with third party systems. I am also working on a bespoke feature at the new Battersea Power Station which is one to keep an eye out for and a lovely local project in Manchester providing some new feature lighting to a courtyard space. The future is incredibly bright here, and I can’t wait to see where we head in the next few years.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Although it sounds cliché, there is no such thing as a typical day. However, starting off my day with a coffee and cuddle with my 9-week-old baby usually sets me up for a busy day! Typically, I will spend my day liaising with engineers about current projects, and the progress they are making. We also discuss upcoming projects and the installation so we can plan accordingly. In addition to this, my day is likely to involve working with the ops teams to produce our technical drawing packages for installation and chatting to contractors and designers on our projects. Amongst all of that, I always find time for a few coffees in between!
What is the best thing about working at Studiotech?
The people. Everyone has been so welcoming, and although I’ve been here around 6 weeks, by the end of my first day I already felt like a part of the Studiotech family.
4 fun facts…
- I used to do powerboat racing
- I have 3 kids, including a 9-week-old baby who is keeping me very busy at the moment
- I have lots of great stories from my time at Madame Tussauds and I was involved in lots of press launches including Helen Mirren and Justin Bieber (oh yes!). It also used to be a very eerie experience working on the night shift and seeing lots of stray limbs and heads everywhere, unattached to bodies!
- I have travelled to Tunisia and Thailand, and next on my list are New Zealand and Australia.
