Profile
Alison Benn
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About Me:
Engineer who loves cats, football and singing.
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I live in Macclesfield with my two cats Kassie & Ricky P. We all follow Leicester City football club – Kassie is named after one of our goalkeepers, and Ricky P after one of our defenders. I enjoy gardening, and have my own little veg patch – Ricky P is a curious kitten still, but Kassie just digs things up!
This is my choir outside Abbey Road in London last year.
And this is Ricky P & Kassie.
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My pronouns are:
She / Her
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My Work:
I work with manufacturing and distribution companies across the globe to make and deliver the medicines that have been developed by my company.
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AstraZeneca uses external companies to manufacture and distribute many of its medicines, as many require specialist equipment to manufacture the medicine – for example a special device that is used to administer the product, such as a syringe or inhaler.
My job is to explain to the external companies what we want, what is the device, how does it go together, and what does the pack look like – support them in establishing the product on their site, and then to transport it to a warehouse under the correct conditions – medicines often need to travel under cold storage conditions, or can only be out of a freezer for a certain period.
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My Typical Day:
I work with colleagues in the US – so my morning are quiet, and a chance to catch up on work. Then my world gets really busy when America wakes up around lunchtime – and I spend my afternoons talking to the various US based teams.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
Presents for my cats, and to the cats at my local cat rescue
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Education:
I went to Leicester Grammar School, doing maths, further maths and physics at A level.
I did a year long apprenticeship with the Ministry of Defence, learning how to use all the equipment in a workshop. Studying part time for my basic engineering qualifications.
Then I went to Manchester University. -
Qualifications:
11 O Levels
4 A levels – maths, further maths, physics and economics
BEng in Mechanical Engineering
Diploma in Management
Project Management Qualification -
Work History:
I did a year long apprenticeship with the Ministry of Defence, learning how to use all the equipment in a workshop, before going to University.
As part of the apprenticeship I did placements working with parachutes, helicopters and was loaned out to a car manufacturer.My first job after university was with a company who made corrugated boxes – we made the boxes used to store and transport such products as crisps and pizzas. My main role here was to build a new part to the factory – so I got to see a field be transformed into a fully working factory.
From there I went to work for a brewery – where I qualified as a beer taster and got my basic brewing exams. Here I worked as maintenance engineer – a mixture of fixing the equipment, and looking at ways to stop in breaking in the first place.
Then I moved into pharmaceuticals where I have been for 20 years now. I have had a variety of roles, supporting manufacturing, projects where I have installed new equipment, and introduced new products to the factory.
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
problem solving wizard
What did you want to be after you left school?
engineer - i wanted to make things
Were you ever in trouble at school?
yes... for silly little things mainly!
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
vet
Who is your favourite singer or band?
I don't have one - i love most types of music. My niece is trying to make me a Swiftie!!
What's your favourite food?
chocolate and cheese - not together
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
more time with family and friends, someone to do my cleaning and ironing, my cat to learn to dry herself before she gets under the duvet cover
Tell us a joke.
Man walks into a pet shop and asks for 12 bees. The shop owner counts out 13 bees and hands them over. whats with the 13th bee the man asks. that is your freebee the shop owner says...
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