From Carpentry to Colnbrook: Our People – Tom

An unconventional path

“Like a lot of people, I was always told I could do a lot better in school. It wasn’t really an environment where I felt I could do my best or that I was naturally suited to. One thing it did teach me, however, was that everyone learns and works differently – something that’s stuck with me throughout my career. 

When I finished school, I went straight into an apprenticeship for carpentry. I enjoyed it but out of the blue, with just six weeks of the scheme to go, I was made redundant.  

It was disappointing but, determined to keep going, I started working nights in a warehouse and learning quickly, I started to think about how I could make things more efficient to make things easier for the team. Simple things like figuring out the way that certain drivers loaded their vehicles, which in turn made me understand the way that they went about their delivery routes meant we could better prepare for their arrival. I think that’s where I realised how important it is to appreciate the way people around you work, because every piece of the puzzle plays a role in creating a stronger team unit. 

A natural next step was to become a driver myself, so I got a job as a courier for airfreight, my first experience of working with the aviation industry. I drove up and down the country, collecting and delivering freight to be exported to other countries. This led to an opportunity to work for another aviation contractor in their warehouse.  

A little turbulence

Things were going really well, and I was starting to shadow the shift leader with a view to moving up into that role – then COVID-19 hit. The world locked down. 52 flight lanes at Heathrow closed down to just four. Redundancy was rearing its head again and 75% of us lost our jobs on site. At that time, it was hard to find any work or, at least, any work that could pay enough to make ends meet. 

But I took the opportunity to focus on the things that matter the most in my personal life. Outside of work, I’m a husband and a father to three – a daughter and two sons. I love cooking and creating new recipes in the kitchen, and I’m so glad that’s something I’ve passed on to my children. They love to try new things too, so it’s really special to spend time with them making something they have never tried before and teaching them how to make it.  

A few months later, I noticed that a position as an Operations Technician at Colnbrook had become available again. I couldn’t send my CV back in fast enough. After just under a year, a Shift Leader role became available – exactly what I had been working for.  

Take off

In 2024, Penspen secured the contract for operations and maintenance at Colnbrook Rail Terminal, and I transferred to Penspen along with 21 other team members. Now, as one of the five Shift Leaders here at Colnbrook Rail Terminal, I lead a team of three technicians.  

We’re responsible for making sure everything runs as it should – maintenance works, the fuel testing process, and then transporting just under 2 million litres of Jet A-1 fuel to the airport.