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Two young winners for EB December 2006 Young engineers thrive at The Engineering Business (EB) as has been proved by the result of this year's NOF "Young Achiever of the Year Award", which has been won by Michael Smith, who follows in the footsteps of EB's Angus Kimpton, winner of the same award last year. EB designs, builds and supplies, elegant engineering solutions for the offshore oil and gas, submarine telecom, defence and offshore renewables industries. "We are delighted by and congratulate Michael on his win, he's a valuable member of our ever-growing team of engineers," said Dr Tony Trapp, managing director of EB, based at Riding Mill, Northumberland. "We are now 120-strong and thriving on the input of dedicated and talented engineers like Michael, it has been exciting to watch his progress. People are our strength and our inspiration." About Michael and his work Michael is 23 and has worked with EB since 1 August 2005. He studied naval architecture at the University of Newcastle and graduated in the summer of 2005, when he joined EB. He is originally from a little village on Shetland called Sandwick. "I am delighted to have won the Award and am very much looking forward to my trip to OTC next Spring," says Michael. "I am having a truly stimulating time working for EB, and, during my first fifteen months, have worked on a fascinating range of projects - there's never a dull moment!" "No sooner had I arrived at EB than I found myself working as a design engineer on a 3,000 tonne-capacity pipeline carousel that was delivered to Subsea 7 earlier this year. Transferring the skills I had acquired within an academic Naval Architecture background with limited industrial experience, to EB's mechanical design environment certainly gave me a feeling of achievement." "Following this I worked as a design engineer on a lay tower feed study which provided me with experience in utilising timing plans, budgets and the other vital commercial aspects of the industry. I then moved on to a 19-week involvement on a gravity actuated pipeline hook up project where, due to the scrutiny of the group of companies involved, the presentation and completeness of all issued drawings and calculations had to be absolute. There's nothing like that for increasing the expectations you place on your own standards of work!" His role as lead engineer on the WaterBridge 30m span offshore access system is Michael's current 'high spot'. "I was involved with the project right through from concept development, detailed design, testing, commissioning and offshore operations. It was a marvellous way to celebrate my first year with EB!" Now Michael's role has gone full circle; he is currently design engineer on a second carousel. This one has a capacity more than double that of the one he worked on from his first day at EB. To further aid his development, and with EB's support, Michael has enrolled in a part time MSc degree in Renewable Energy at Newcastle University's School of Marine Science and Technology. This started in September and is broadening his knowledge base in this new and developing field.  George Rafferty, Director of NOF, Michael Smith and Dennis Clarke, Chairman of NOF
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