TURNING UP THE HEAT

HOT SHOT Jessica works in precision heat treatment

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STRUGGLING in class with undiagnosed ADHD and autism, Jessica Whitworth couldn't wait to leave school.

She got herself a job at B&Q and soon realised she liked being hands-on and working on the shop floor.

Not afraid of being in a male-dominated world Jessica, 23, from Chard in Somerset, leapt at the chance to work as a furnace operator for local employer Bodycote and has taken the team by storm.

Who do you work for?

Bodycote is the world’s leading provider of precision heat treatment and specialist thermal processing services.

Without the services provided by Bodycote, an aircraft engine would not survive a single flight, car gearboxes would struggle to survive a week of use, and surgical tools or joint replacements would fail to meet the essential safety standards.

What do you do day-to-day?

There is definitely no typical day in the life of a furnace operator. Our furnaces heat metals to very high temperatures in a controlled way so their internal structure changes.

This process gives the metal the right balance of strength, hardness and flexibility for its purpose.

It’s an essential step in making sure components used in aero-planes, cars and medical devices are safe, reliable and made to last.

I am part of a team that manages 10 furnaces.