Former apprentice tells of building career at M’boro factory
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IN 1973, Noel Anderson started as an apprentice at the Downer factory and he hasn’t looked back.
“At one stage there were about 800 people working at Walkers Ltd in the mid to late 80s. There was a large machine shop, fitting shop, blacksmith shop, fabrication shop and foundry. It was said then there was nothing that Walkers couldn’t make.
“I started as an apprentice boilermaker and when I became a tradesman I successfully applied for a draftsman’s position in the drawing office as it was called then. I began doing the drawings with pencils on tracing paper on a drawing board,” Noel said.
These days, senior designer Noel works with modern computer-based packages to create what was once drawn on paper.
The 150-year celebration is an important milestone to recognise, he says.
“What the 150-year celebration means to me is a celebration of a great company and its employees who have designed and manufactured countless quality products over 150 years, and I hope it continues for another 150 years.”
