Life-size Meccano and Expert Insights Steal the Show at ETL Systems' Engineering Conference

The event featured a programme of peer-to-peer presentations, providing an engaging platform for knowledge sharing, collaboration, and innovation. Following a day of insightful discussions, the engineers participated in a team-building exercise.

A highlight of the EEC was the life-size Meccano challenge. Teams worked together to build a functional machine using only the materials supplied in flight cases, relying on their problem-solving skills. With a tight deadline and just three attempts allowed, the task required excellent time management, strategic planning, effective delegation, and teamwork. 

Each team was responsible for constructing part of the machine, following specific instructions. Precision was critical, as even a single mistake could cause the entire machine to fail.

"The team-building exercise was a fun and collaborative way to bring engineers together to create a system. It highlighted the importance of actively supporting colleagues during the development process.

The site visit presentations sparked fantastic dialogue and provided valuable insights into what each client values about our products, helping us understand how we can improve.

The talks from CEO Kevin on the future direction of the company; Paul Gouws’ [CTO] analysis of how our products fit into the satellite industry's supply chain, and the gaps we could address; as well as Simon Swift’s [Engineer Director - Digital Technologies] vision for the future of Digital IF, kept us informed, engaged, and excited about the company’s research and development prospects.

Overall, it was an enjoyable two days of strengthening connections within the company, which will enhance productivity and foster a forward-looking approach to future improvements.” — Chuba Chine, Graduate Electronics Design Engineer

At the close of the conference, the feedback from the engineers was overwhelmingly positive. They described the EEC as a valuable, thought-provoking two-day event that not only sharpened their skills but also allowed them to connect with colleagues who had recently joined the team due to the company’s continued growth.