WORKING at Sharp - real lives
Phyllis – Design Engineer
Having been born and brought up in Kenya, I didn’t know what to expect when I stepped out of the plane at Heathrow. I could feel the cold in my bones and kept looking at my watch in disbelief. Could it really be dark at 4.00 pm? In Kenya, sunrise is at about 7.00am and sunset is at about 7.00pm every single day, guaranteed.
Off I went to Nottingham University, to do a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. I had done my earlier schooling in Kenya but was really interested in technology. Physics and Mathematics fascinate me and I felt the need to move to the UK to learn about technology and get to be in the know when people spoke of the digital and analogue world.
My four years at Nottingham were fantastic. There weren’t many girls in my course, which was a bit of a shame, but then the boys were a great laugh too. We spent many a day and night exploring Nottingham. I couldn’t believe that anyone could pack as many restaurants, clubs and pubs in any one area; but I wasn’t complaining.
The course was intriguing. I got to grips with the basis of computer technology, automation, communication and instrumentation. I did a year’s industrial placement at Alstom, in Stafford and that was, on hindsight, one of the best decisions I made. It allowed me to see where my learning fitted in industry. Suddenly I wasn’t just writing ‘Hello World’ programs; I was doing work that was useful in the industrial world! I was involved in electronic design and software engineering, using the latest electronic devices, getting involved in the verification of systems and loving it.
Pleased that I had made the right decision in my choice of degree course, I went back and completed my degree in 1999. I have since worked for companies including Siemens and Hitachi but it is at Sharp Laboratories of Europe Ltd, that I have landed on my feet. I joined Sharp in October 2003.
My work is very stimulating, which is a good thing, as I get bored rather quickly. I’m in the ‘Information Technology and Systems’ group and in particular, hardware design of the next generation of smart cards. I’m involved at all stages of design, right from functional specification, system design & integration and verification. My input is valuable right to the manufacturing stage. I get a buzz from the challenges that my work provides and I learn something new every single day.
Working so closely with colleagues in Japan and Europe has provided opportunities of travel to Japan and Europe. Apart from gaining a lot professionally, I have been exposed to beautiful cultures and experiences like being in a ‘Shinkansen‘ (Bullet train) while watching the world literally fly past!
What I really like about Sharp are the people. I remember walking in on my first day, shaking like a leaf. By the end of the day, I felt like I had always been here. Everyone was warm and welcoming and it’s still the same today.
One of the things that Sharp Laboratories of Europe Ltd does very well is supporting working parents. Sharp allows me to be an engineer and a mother, without any of the roles being compromised. Plus I have a gym membership also provided by Sharp. On most lunch times, I can be found working out in the local gym or running along the Thames path. But some days our in-house caterers, Barry and Vivienne’s, lunches are too tempting.
My evenings and weekends are spent looking after a boisterous toddler and an even more boisterous husband! When we want to escape from it all, Oxford provides us with a truly endless choice of parks, walks, leisure centres, restaurants, pubs, etc. I really wish there were more hours in a day …
