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In our latest careers interview blog, Brian Eaglestone tells us about how he uses 3D printing in his current role and about the career path that has led him into his current position.
Brian is a Design Engineer and Air Quality Control Specialist and is the Director of Protopro Ltd.
About Your Education
What subject areas/qualifications did you study for?
I completed a Fully Articled Apprenticeship with the Metropolitan Police (civilian side), including many C&G qualifications and continued professional development courses.
Did you have to undertake any further training during your career in order to progress into your current role?
Yes I did and I am still doing so.
About Your Career
Tell us a little bit about your career leading up to your current role?
I have been involved in design engineering and problem solving for most of my working life.
One of the highlights of my career would be, designing the interior for the Met Police’s first ‘Bomb Disposal Robot’.
I also had a major part in designing and installing the two tram inspection pits at terminal 5 Heathrow, this was quite a challenge due to their size and access restrictions.
Another achievement is designing our own Worlds First 3D Printer Air-Scrubber Unit that filters down to 99.997u, we are currently the only company in the world doing so.
About Your Current Role
Briefly describe your current role, what do you do?
I am the managing Director at Protopro Ltd, We have a good selection of 3D printers, a CNC router and a laser cutter. We can design and prototype . .. . . . and also manufacture our own Air scrubber units and 3D printer cases for all makes of printers.
What skills do you need for your role?
- I have to be forthright, good with people and have the patience of a ‘saint’.
- I have an indefatigable will to get the job done, and endless patience to make a project work.
- I also think completely differently to everyone else and am able to grasp complex problems and issues in the blink of an eye.
What do you enjoy about your role?
Solving complex problems also making something work or designing something that others have said can’t be done.
What salary range can you expect to achieve in this role?
£30k to £90k per year.
Do you have any further career aspirations or plans?
Eventually make our company into the best in the world, whilst staying in Cumbria.
About 3D Printing
What benefits does the use of 3D Printing bring to your role and/or organisation?
It has made huge benefits to us, we are able to change designs far quicker and cheaper than we could without the benefits of a 3D printer. Making changes to a design are now no longer a massive headache, think-it, design-it, draw-it and then 3D-print-it.
How do you feel the future of your industry will benefit from 3D Printing?
We will just go from strength to strength, widen our customer base as we are constantly striving to do the best at what we do.
How can our education system best prepare our young people for job roles of the future in your field?
Due to the rapid increase in the use of technology in our education system, everyone is now being given the opportunity to be part of the next industrial revolution, be one of the pioneers, be the next Brunel or Frank Whittle, let your imagination and expertise help you in becoming what you are capable of being.
Finally…
What advice would you offer to students that may be interested in pursuing a career in this field?
Do not give up, make copious notes and always try your ideas, they might just work.
Make your voice and ideas heard, don’t let others shut you down, they may not always have the best solution to the problem, you are trying to solve.
Investigate everything, gain as much knowledge as possible on as many subjects as possible, soak up information like a sponge, you may make use of it someday, even if it is solving a problem by lateral thinking, using an out-of-the-box idea from another discipline.
The CREATE Education Project would like to thank Brian Eaglestone for sharing the details of his career with us. You can learn more about Brian and Protopro Ltd at: