Graham Whitfield, Refrigeration Engineer
Graham Whitfield id one of Star's Service Supervisors at the Newcastle Branch. He began his career directly from college, transitioning to Star for the opportunity to work with advanced equipment. Over nine years, he progressed from an engineer to a Service Supervisor, where he now enhances branch operations and supports the engineering team. Star’s exceptional training and development programs have been instrumental in his career growth, allowing him to expertly manage tasks from diagnostics to repair completions. He advises engineers to step out of their comfort zones to advance their technical skills, supported by Star’s robust framework.
Can you tell us a bit about your role at Star?
My current role within Star is one of the Service Supervisors for the Newcastle Branch.
Have you always been an engineer?
Yes – I served my time with a local refrigeration company which employed me straight from college.
When and why did you decide it was time for a career transition / move?
I made the decision to apply for a role at Star as I was interested in working with bigger and more technical equipment. The decision to apply for the service supervisor role came when the company introduced the role and I felt I could use my knowledge and experience to help support engineers as well as help the branch to develop.
What does Star offer you in terms of developing your unique career path?
Star has a second to none approach to training and development – it has allowed me to get to where I am today.
What were the biggest changes you noticed when you moved from your previous role to Star Refrigeration?
The biggest change I noticed from being an engineer to becoming a service supervisor was just how much goes into planning jobs. In my role I can attend site for a service job, find the fault, quote the job, order the parts, complete the RAMS and then carry out the repair works – or plan for the best engineer from our team to complete that particular job.
How long did it take you to move onwards and upwards into your current role as supervisor at Star?
From starting at Star to being a Service Supervisor it took me nine years.
What advice would you give to anyone who is looking to advance their career in industrial refrigeration?
My biggest advice for any engineer at Star is don’t be afraid to work outside your comfort zone. There will always be support and it will help you to develop your knowledge and technical skills.
What makes you proud about working at Star?
The way that Star continually strives to improve its processes and develops equipment. It always makes me proud to work for such a forward thinking company
How do you feel challenged at work?
Because my roles are so varied I always feel that there is a new challenge to get stuck into, whether it is learning new equipment and processes or helping to increase the branch’s customer base. And a rewarding challenge is building the relationships with customers that Star prides itself on.