Day in the Life: Charlotte Guest

Q: What is your role now and how long have you been in it?

A: II’m a Product Change Control Engineer 1 for Caterpillar Marine. I’ve been in this role for three and a half years, and I’ve been working for Caterpillar for close to six years. I have also become the Design-To-Order Engineer during this time. I’ve dealt with the Caterpillar and Perkins brands and worked on every single engine from the C1.5 to the C7.1. What we work on ranges into auxiliaries, gensets and propulsion engines.

Q: Do you mostly work alone, or with others?

A: There are many tasks and activities that I do myself, but there are many that involve the wider engineering team. For certain jobs, the whole facility is involved. With design-to-order projects, everyone joins in to ensure that the customer receives what they want at the time that they want it.

Q: How would you describe the company culture at Caterpillar?

A: I was the first female apprentice for the Wimborne facility. When I started my apprenticeship, I was extremely shy. The culture at Caterpillar – the range of ages and backgrounds – was very different from what I was used to. There was a time when I was timid. I was the only woman on the line, so I often thought, what do I say? What do I do? The people were very welcoming, and as time went on, they recognized me as part of the team.
We enjoy the company, we enjoy working together, and we respect each other – wherever we come from. We help each other. Our team is becoming increasingly diverse, and I’m excited to see more women embark on careers in engineering.

Q: How have you developed your skills and grown within your career throughout the years? Are there any resources, programs or training you recommend?

A: I had a major choice last year that involved me really thinking about my career and whether I should continue my studies. I decided the course I was studying at university wasn't right for me anymore – it wasn’t focused on my job role and what I wanted to pursue. Since leaving the course, I’ve been very focused on my personal development. As an employee, I want to learn how I can help others and strengthen communication. I recently attended a networking event focused on how someone can present themselves for a business case with stakeholders. I’m really concentrating on elevating my skills as my responsibilities are increasing.

Q: What do you wish you could have known about your job before starting?

A: Well, COVID-19 – I was not expecting that! And that really affected my mental health. The guys in engineering have been so supportive and helpful. They’re like a second family – always ready for a little chat if needed. When COVID-19 hit, I tried to adapt and keep going. Once Caterpillar employees began to return to the office for better collaboration, I found it very difficult. I became nervous for strange reasons. After a while I thought to myself, I was going into the office anyway before COVID-19 so what's wrong? I’m back in the office three days a week now, and my excitement to be among my colleagues continues to grow.

Q: WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR PROUDEST MOMENT WHILE WORKING AT CATERPILLAR?

A: In general, I'm just proud to be a Caterpillar employee. Whenever I speak to schools, I’m very enthusiastic about Caterpillar. I'm very proud to work here and wear the logo. I would definitely encourage people to join apprenticeships and work at Caterpillar. I’m also proud that my supervisor and my manager can give me additional responsibilities and trust me to execute to the best of my abilities.
I’m proud of some of the challenging projects I’ve worked on. Recently, I’ve been working on one that relates to emissions and compliance and had to really understand what we have to do to comply around the world. It's also involves understanding what can do as a facility to help us be compliant.

Q: What career advice do you offer for someone interested in a role like yours?

A: An apprenticeship is a good way to go, because you earn and learn at the same time – without debts. I really recommend seeking a hands-on experience so that you can become familiar with engines and parts; it helps tremendously. As for specific courses of study, if you enjoy something there’s always a way to do what you love. My studies started under marine, but changed to mechatronics. Mechatronics provides broad knowledge across all electrical and mechanical engineering, which was very beneficial.

Q: WHAT IS ON YOUR WISH LIST TO ACHIEVE IN YOUR CAREER AT CATERPILLAR IN THE NEXT 3 YEARS?

A: I wish to enter into a supervisor role, and then work my way up into management. That's where I see my success.