Conversations at the Cutting Edge of Engineering
Guest: Mike Watchorn
Embarking on a quest to spotlight Mike alongside a cadre of equally brilliant engineers through a series of insightful dialogues, Reach Further Online traces its lineage back to a heritage deeply entwined within the engineering realm, a commitment nurtured across a spectrum exceeding ten fruitful years. Our experience with this sector has shown us that one thing is constant, change. There is both a personal interest and a business need to remain in lockstep with the ever-evolving industry because, in the dynamic world of engineering, change is the only constant, driving us towards innovations that redefine our reality and underscore the essence of progress. There is always more to learn, and what better way to do this than with first-hand accounts emanating directly from the core of this vibrant industry – the engineers themselves. It is within their everyday hurdles, ground-breaking solutions, and forward-thinking visions that the domain of engineering sees continuous metamorphosis and becomes a source of inspiration.
In our constant quest for expansion and knowledge, we acknowledge the treasure trove of wisdom to be unearthed from these inspiring professionals who daily chart their course through the complex seas of engineering. Our ambition lies in assembling and deciphering data, equipping us to identify trends and furnish insights of a calibre that might remain elusive to engineers immersed within their specialities. We warmly extend an invitation to engineers stimulated by our revelations or those eager to share their distinctive insights in future dialogues to join forces with us. In undertaking this collective exploration and enlightenment, we aim to paint a comprehensive picture of the ever-evolving engineering world.
As we continue our journey, stay tuned because Reach Further Online is on a mission to illuminate the extraordinary intellects propelling the engineering sector onwards.
Insights from Mike Watchorn – A feature presented by Reach Further Online
Engineering a Legacy: Mike Watchorn’s Ascent from Rural Roots to Industry Vanguard
From the rustic charm of Rutland’s farmlands to the sharp, cutting edge of modern engineering, Mike Watchorn’s journey encapsulates a life transformed by ambition, ingenuity, and relentless pursuit of improvement. In this detailed feature, Reach Further Online explores how Mike’s roots in a farming lifestyle laid the groundwork for his ascendance into engineering excellence, and how he continues to influence and redefine the industry’s landscape today.
The Formative Years
Born into a family deeply embedded in agriculture, Mike’s early years were dominated by the cycles of planting and harvest. His parents, understanding the limits and rigours of farm life, made the decision to enrol him in boarding school at Oakham.
Reflecting on those years, Mike notes, “Making the transition was tough; I really missed home. That feeling hung over me until I found sport. I started swimming competitively and playing Water polo, and it was transformative. The discipline and resilience I developed in the pool have stayed with me, helping me navigate challenges throughout my life.”
Mike’s evolution through school, marked by his emergence as head boy, was only the beginning of a burgeoning leadership saga—one that would later define his professional ethos.
Agricultural Engineering and the Pivot to a New Path
Universally, the leap from academic theory to practical application represents a daunting transition for many undergraduates, but for Mike, the move was almost second nature. His choice to attend Newcastle for agricultural engineering was driven by a blend of familial influence and personal interest. It was here that he began melding the tactile knowledge from farm mechanics with structured engineering principles. “There’s a rhythm to engineering, similar to farming, but it’s punctuated by bursts of rigorous innovation—something that truly resonated with me,” Mike explains.
Halfway through his degree, a critical reflection on the volatility of farm life and the potential of a career in engineering led Mike to a decisive crossroad. “Around my second year, I realised I was really enjoying engineering. My brother and I had been building a lot of farm equipment ourselves, and I loved it. Simon, my brother, had studied agriculture, so I went into agricultural engineering, thinking I’d bring that back to the farm. I’ve always loved farm work.”
Opting out of a return to farming, Mike instead envisioned a future where his passion for engineering could flourish. This change was not without its difficulties, as it necessitated a departure from expected family roles and into relatively uncharted professional waters.
Real-World Applications and Building a Career
While in his third year at university, Mike’s budding career faced its baptism by fire through his early work with a well-known North East engineering company, where practical engineering applications became his daily reality. The job combined his familiarity with heavy machinery—a skill borrowed from his farming days—with detailed engineering tasks. This blend of old and new knowledge vectors empowered him to stand out, making tangible impacts early in his tenure.
“When I completed my final year, I looked for an engineering job, but there weren’t opportunities due to a downturn. So, I secured funding to pursue an MPhil in Rotary Shear cutting of grass. Partway through, one of my contacts reached out, his business needed engineers for new work they had secured. I was halfway through my MPhil, with most of the field experiment work underway. We struck a deal: I would complete my fieldwork and data collection, then write up my thesis while working. I found writing a research thesis whilst starting a new job and career extremely hard. After a few months of little or no progress and with my first subsea cable plough project coming towards its first use, I actually finished the draft of my thesis while I was offshore using the downtime caused by bad weather.”
Career Advancement and Mentorship
Mike then discussed the early part of this transition, saying, “I started as their seventh employee, early into the company’s development, and grew along with them. Even though I had experience designing and building machines from university and knew how to build and operate farm machines working there was a whole new level. I was fortunate to have Tim Grinstead as my technical director and mentor.”
“Living in the same village, Tim and his wife, became like an elder brother and sister to my wife and I. They would often help us by taking our daughter for walks, giving us a much-needed break; this closeness made me incredibly lucky not just to have Tim as a brilliant boss, but also as a close family friend.”
Learning Through Challenge
Mike shared that Tim was an exceptional engineer and an even more impressive educator because he never just handed out answers. Instead, he encouraged a deep learning environment by allowing Mike (and other engineers) to confront challenges head-on. Watchorn recalled an instance where his initial attempt at a hand-drawn project was thrown out several times under Tim’s guidance, forcing him to start from scratch repeatedly. This approach, though tough, turned into a significant learning experience that profoundly shaped his professional skills.
Tim realised the importance of efficiently transferring cable ploughs from ships to the seabed and designed a wide-angle A-frame to facilitate this. Mike then built on this design by making a larger version, starting with a 25-ton A-frame after the initial 15-ton model, and eventually designed and built over 40 A-frames over years from 8-tonne to 500-tonne SWL for a wide range of vehicles and seabed structure handling.
Business Development and Innovations
“I was responsible for selling and designing the handling systems for our products while my colleague handled the main sales of the subsea vehicles. It felt a bit like running a small business within the larger organisation.” He also shared how his interest in business developed: “Growing up on a farm, you’re always close to business discussions, they’re even happening at the kitchen table, which sparked my interest from a young age, though I didn’t really understand it, I knew I wanted to know more about the processes of business,” Mike explained.
Reflecting on the next steps in his career, Mike added, “After gaining practical business experience over the years, in 1998, I joined forces with some of my colleagues and we started our own engineering business for reasons that are quite complex.”
Emerging Challenges and Market Changes
Mike recounted the challenging yet invigorating journey the team undertook to become a presence in the industry. He remarked, “The industry had been under the grip of a monopolistic supplier for 15 years and deeply felt the effects of that dominance. There was a palpable demand for competition, and they really encouraged us to step up.”
With enthusiasm, he explained their strategic move, “We developed new cable ploughs and revamped our A-frames. It was an energising time as we responded to the industry’s call for innovation.”
Strategic Marketing and Adaptation
Mike highlighted the pivotal role of their marketing strategy during this period, noting, “We were fortunate enough to have a marketing genius among us. He crafted an external view of us as a much larger entity than we actually were. His expertise gave us the springboard we needed to grow.”
Watchorn also touched on the challenges they faced when the market landscape drastically changed, saying, “The dot-com bubble burst in 2002 was a tough period. Many of our clients went bankrupt, and we were left with significant assets that almost took us down. But, we didn’t give up.” Mike concluded with a note of resilience and optimism, “We managed to transition into offshore renewables, a sector I had always been interested in, which opened new doors for us and provided a pathway forward.”
Diversification and Growth
“We got involved in projects like tidal stream power generation and installation systems for wind turbines, along with access systems, and these ventures provided us three years of stability while the offshore industry reorganised itself. Following that, we expanded into the oil and gas installation sector with large pipeline systems, which led to significant growth.”
Mike shared, “We sold the company in its 11th year, to a larger industry organisation where I remained for another 12 years before taking voluntary redundancy, as I had become the last of the original team.”
Consultancy and Work-Life Balance
In discussing his career trajectory, Mike delved into the origins and evolution of his consultancy practice after he left. He explained, “Initially, I planned to start my own business for ad hoc consultancy, which led to the creation of Fresh Eyes Engineering. However, life had other plans.” He shared how his network reached out, leading him to an unexpected split schedule, “I ended up working three days a week for one company after they approached me, and then two days for another company when they offered me some testing work.”
This initially makeshift arrangement proved stable, though it later adjusted to a less demanding schedule. “Eventually, this arrangement shifted to a 3-1 split as projects slowed down, and I’ve found the balance to be quite effective,” Mike explained, reflecting on the flexibility and balance he has maintained in this chapter of his career.
Today’s Challenges and Philosophical Insights
We asked Mike how he maintains focus while managing multiple roles or projects. Detailing his compartmentalisation strategy, he shared, “I use exercise. I do a spinning session every week. I push myself hard to clear my mind completely. This helps me put aside the tasks from the first part of the week, ensuring that by Thursday morning, I’m ready to resume where I left off the previous Thursday without any overlap. It’s like putting down one folder and picking up another without letting them bleed into each other. I’m quite strict about it, and it’s been working quite well.”
When talking about the transition from managing a team to resuming his hands-on engineering duties, Mike expressed, “It took some getting used to, especially with the first major project requiring me to develop detailed test plans and manuals for a sophisticated system over almost two years. Ultimately, it’s about addressing the next challenge and keep moving forward.”
Mike discussed his career approach and his self-perception in the field of engineering, emphasising his broad expertise rather than deep specialisation. “I’ve always been a generalist,” he stated. “I’m not a super knowledgeable stress person. I’m not a super knowledgeable hydraulics person. I’m a typical farmer. I know a bit about a lot of things, and I’m quite confident.” He attributes his broad range of knowledge and self-assurance as the forces driving his willingness to embrace new challenges. “And that confidence has allowed me to try things,” he explained.
Mike emphasises his practical approach of meticulously documenting his progress and reflections, likening it to leaving “tracks in the snow.” He has always kept detailed, handwritten notes to facilitate future reviews that challenge his previous thoughts and assess whether his perspectives or solutions have evolved correctly. This practice, he suggests, helps navigate the unreliability of memory and provides a clear, unchanging record of the journey an idea takes as it evolves, encouraging regular revisitation and introspective questioning to further development and clarity.
“Engineering demands more than just theoretical knowledge. It requires a willingness to adapt, to continuously learn, and to fundamentally understand the evolving challenges of our world.”
When discussing leadership, Watchorn states “True leadership is tested and revealed not during times of calm, but in moments of crisis. It’s easy to lead when situations are favourable, but the real measure of a leader emerges when things start to fall apart. Observing how leaders handle extreme challenges—how they react and guide their teams through adversity—is where valuable lessons are learned. A leader who demonstrates resilience, decisiveness, and the ability to inspire confidence under duress is worth emulating. Their actions in these scenarios are indicative of genuine leadership capabilities.”
Leadership Insights and Personal Growth
During our conversation, Mike emphasised a pivotal lesson in leadership: the importance of sometimes scaling back one’s own force to amplify the strength of the team. “If you’re too dominant,” Mike explained, “the team might rely too heavily on you, limiting their own potential. But, if you can inspire each of your team members to contribute strongly, the collective output is significantly greater.” He admitted that understanding this dynamic and its effect on productivity took him a considerable amount of time to master.
As a respected voice in the engineering community, Watchorn talks about his journey with a mix of pride and humility. He credits his partner, Caroline, for her integral role in his life and career, highlighting her as a pillar of support and a key factor in his personal and professional growth. He emphasises that Caroline’s unwavering support has not only helped him stay grounded but also propelled them to continually support each other in achieving their individual and collective goals. Their partnership is marked by mutual encouragement and collaboration, creating a solid foundation from which both can thrive.
Mike also shared how a severe unrelated health scare reshaped his perspective, stating, “I was hit with a tough viral infection, not related to work, but the recovery time allowed me to deeply reflect and grow. Though tough on my family and isolating for me, it became a period of significant personal learning. It changed me, making me stronger and continuously influences my life.”
His ongoing work, particularly in the realm of sustainable engineering practices, is not just a professional duty but a personal crusade to ensure that the engineering solutions of today do not become the environmental dilemmas of tomorrow.
Reflecting and Looking Forward
Mike expressed deep emotional fulfilment from his business achievements and their lasting impact. He recounted, “Starting and growing a company with a team of 230 at its peak, right out of the northeast of the UK, and seeing the incredible things we achieved together fills me with a deep pride. Knowing that many from our team went on to start their own ventures, thriving in the very ecosystem we nurtured, amplifies that pride even more.” He added, “Seeing a piece of equipment I designed decades ago, still performing its job, is sort of like watching my own child succeed in the world. It’s an unbelievable feeling that connects deeply to the heart of who I am.”
Mike Watchorn’s story is a vibrant narrative, rich with the colours of personal growth, professional challenges, and unwavering commitment to improvement. For those tracing the pathways of their own careers, his journey from the fields of Rutland to the sharp forefront of engineering innovation offers both inspiration and a blueprint for cultivating success through adaptability and ethical commitment.
Advocacy for Continuous Learning
Beyond his daily responsibilities, Mike has become an avid advocate for continuous professional development. He champions the cause of lifelong learning as an essential component of engineering success. “Our industry is ever-evolving with rapid advancements in technology and methodologies. Staying updated through continuous learning isn’t just beneficial; it’s absolutely crucial to staying relevant,” Mike comments.
This advocacy is born from his own experiences, where shifting from a potential life in agriculture to an accomplished career in engineering required not just skill and knowledge but an ongoing commitment to education and adaptability.
Mentorship and Giving Back
Understanding the opportunities that his unique path has afforded him, Mike is deeply involved in mentoring young engineers and students. He sees this as an opportunity to give back to the community that shaped him and to develop the next generation of engineers who will continue to push the boundaries of what is possible. “Mentorship,” Mike asserts, “is about lighting a path for others just as much as it is a chance to reflect on one’s own journey and growth.”
Through his mentoring efforts, Mike not only shares technical knowledge but also imparts lessons on the soft skills essential for career growth, such as leadership, communication, and strategic thinking.
The Future of Engineering
Looking ahead, Mike is optimistic about the role of engineering in solving some of the world’s most pressing problems. He is particularly enthusiastic about the potential for green technologies and sustainable practices to revolutionise industries not just from an environmental standpoint but also economically and socially.
According to Mike, “Engineering is not just about fixing problems. It’s about foreseeing challenges and pre-emptively crafting solutions that are sustainable and beneficial for society as a whole.” His vision for the future involves a synergy between technological advancement and sustainable development, advocating for projects that balance innovation with environmental stewardship.
Personal Reflections and Final Words
In a reflective mood, Mike looks back at his unexpected but fulfilling path from the fields of Rutland to global engineering stages. He emphasises that his success can be attributed to a blend of curiosity, hard work, and the courage to venture beyond known boundaries.
“If you’re just starting out in your career, whether it’s in engineering or anything else, remember that change is a given, but growth is a choice. Staying open-minded and being ready to learn will help you navigate both.”
In Conclusion
Mike Watchorn’s story, rich with insights and lessons, continues to inspire not just budding engineers but anyone seeking to navigate the complexities of modern career landscapes. As Reach Further Online delves into the narratives that shape our tomorrow, Mike’s journey firmly reminds us of the profound impact that lifelong learning, resilience, and proactive adaptation can have on our personal and professional lives. Stay tuned as we continue to explore and share more stories of remarkable individuals who are not just reaching further but also paving new paths for others to follow.
Key Takeaways
Early Challenges Shape Future Leaders
Mike’s initial struggles with homesickness at boarding school and the discipline he learned through swimming played a pivotal role in shaping his resilience and leadership qualities.
Turning Points Can Redefine Careers
The decision to shift from agriculture to engineering was a significant turning point for Mike. It highlights how critical moments of choice can redefine an individual’s career path, steering it toward unforeseen opportunities.
Practical Experience Complements Academic Learning
Mike’s transition from theoretical studies in agricultural engineering at Newcastle to practical applications highlights the importance of hands-on experience in complementing academic learning, enhancing both understanding and employability.
Continuous Learning Is Crucial
Mike’s ongoing commitment to education, both formal and informal, through an MPhil program and continuous professional development, demonstrates the necessity of lifelong learning in staying relevant and innovative in one’s field.
Adaptability Is Key to Long-Term Success
Mike’s career journey exemplifies the importance of adaptability. His ability to pivot from expected family roles, embrace new professional opportunities, and continuously update his skills was crucial to his success.
Mentorship Enriches the Mentor and Mentee
Through his mentoring efforts, Mike not only contributes to the growth of future engineers but also enriches his own understanding and personal growth, proving that mentorship is mutually beneficial.
Vision for Future Integrations
Mike’s optimistic outlook on integrating technology with sustainable practices reflects a forward-thinking vision for engineering. His focus on creating solutions that are environmentally sustainable and socially beneficial sets a template for future innovations.
Personal Philosophies Drive Professional Excellence
Mike’s reflections on his journey highlight the importance of personal philosophies such as curiosity, hard work, and embracing change. These traits not only guided his professional journey but also enriched his personal life.
