Not just for boys…. PART FIVE
In the winter months, Grace Grundon can be found in the Alps in Verbier, Switzerland, where she works as a ski instructor. At the moment she is working at Grundon Waste Management operating a variety of equipment, including their newly delivered EW240E Material Handler. The Voice went to meet Grace at their Colnbrook site to find out more about Grace’s change of scenery.
After the ski season had ended, in late Spring, Grace found herself at a loose end. Her dad, Neil Grundon and Deputy Chairman of Grundon Waste Management Ltd suggested that she help out at the family firm and recommended that she drive a machine. Grace thought it sounded like fun and so completed a fast-track one-to-one course in operator training to gain all her accreditations. The company’s Waste Transfer and Material Recovery Facility at Colnbrook handles segregated waste destined for the nearby incineration plant or for landfill. Grace is currently operating the recently purchased EW240E MH which is predominantly used for loading high-sided bulkers. It also feeds a high-capacity mobile shredder which reduces large and diverse material down to a size that can be accepted for burning.
Grace says, “I enjoy the practicality of the job, you’re always engaging in something rather than just sitting back and being
on the sidelines. There’s always lots of different things to do, and it’s really varied. One day you can be loading lorries and then another day, loading plant and I’m always picking up different materials, learning all the time about them and the site itself.”
As well as driving the EW240E MH, Grace can drive other excavators, telehandlers and also has a forklift license. When asked about what she likes about the EW240E MH Grace says, “The EW240E MH is very high-tech. All the machines are similar but everything varies between them, and this one is very snazzy. It’s a lot nicer than the other machines I’ve driven, not that the other machines I’ve driven are bad, but you can tell it’s differently made to all of the ones before; I like it.” We also asked Grace whether she had any advice for other women looking for a career in the industry. Grace says, “Don’t feel intimidated or scared as there’s nothing to worry about. It can be daunting when you first join, but that’s the same for any job you first go into. If you are comfortable with who you are, and confident, then you’ll be absolutely fine. In this environment it’s a bit different as it tends to be male-dominated, but it’s essentially the same as any other job, and you will adjust to your surroundings. You just need to be strong with who you are.” ■
CONTINUED OVERLEAF a
36 THE VOICE MAGAZINE No 34 2018
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