From day one, I was welcomed onto the formulation system and was taken under the wing by Nic Du Toit and Ed Hodges, of whom I worked closely with over the next few months. Settling into the flow of work took a minute, as the friendly, encouraging and enthusiastic environment here made sure that wherever I looked for help, people would offer it. The penguins of Madagascar were really onto something when they said just smile and wave, and through doing that, there was no one in the company that I thought of as a stranger or scary to chat and laugh with. It truly is the spectacular people and warm, nurturing atmosphere here that sets Labman aside from any other robotics manufacturer.
Fuelled by the 200+ coffees, mochas and hot chocolates I drank whilst at work, I was lucky enough to be part of the XFBD team as we push late into the nights to get the system from pile of parts to be an astoundingly compact and precise drug formulation system. Being surrounded by such intelligent engineers who all humbly teach and learn from each other has taught me so much about the world of robotical engineering and the way in which these systems are build form the ground up.
Seeing and learning about the different design states of some of the giant systems here has been eye-opening, and my work in both the mechanical technician states of construction, as well as the CAD designing stages have been some of the best hands on robotical experience I have ever had. From turning custom pieces on the lathe, autonomously placing orders, assembling frames and units from the ground up, becoming proficient at Solidworks and putting my critical thinking to the test, I want to thank Labman for giving me the opportunity to step forward as an engineer.
Finding a work environment where the normal noises at lunch are the sounds of cheering and competitive banter from pool tables, table tennis tables and a squash court is something else. Outside of Labman, the friendly culture still not only existed, but thrived, and games of tennis, football, and (obviously) more pottery was often enjoyed in the warm summer evenings. Having the ability to try so many different activities and meet other people who share similar interests made the whole company like home, and will be one of the aspects of this workplace that I will miss the most. My personal favourites were the presence of âLabpotâ (Labmanâs very own pottery studio), which had many of us leaving work late into the night with big smiles and fingernails full of clay, and the table tennis club. Where leaving lunch covered in sweat was nearly always worth the intense games that we had. With such a diverse range of sporty, arty, intellectual and collaborative activities, it truly was a mission to be the slightest bit bored at Labman.
I am incredibly grateful to everyone here for teaching me and trusting me to help carry my own weight (and for convincing me to run the Tough Mudder). This placement gave me the opportunity to professionally and intellectually improve and show my abilities, and I hope that I lived up to their expectations and left a positive impact at Labman.
The draw to come back and work with these amazing people is nearly unbeatable, and I am excited to see what my next steps will be when I return to Labman in the future.