Jason Spalding

Jason is a mobile service technician for a leading agricultural, construction and garden machinery retailer in East Anglia.  He focuses on agricultural equipment, making sure machines are serviced and also repaired if problems occur.

What does your day to day job involve?

I am usually sent out to a farm first thing in the morning.  If our customer has a problem with their tractor, I diagnose the issue and then set to work on fixing it as quickly as possible.   This may mean that I need to go back to the depot to collect a part, or it may just be a case of changing a setting in the system.   I specialise in equipment made by John Deere, Grimme and Horsch.

What do you enjoy most?

As I work on a range of products, I enjoy the variation and the challenges it brings.  I also never know where or what the next job is so it keeps me on my toes.

What's the downside?

The weather doesn't always bring sunshine and warmth.  Lying in wet, cold muddy conditions in the middle of a field isn't always the ideal situation.

What percentage of your job is office-based?

On average, probably only 5% but office-based work varies.  Timesheets and job cards need to be completed every day and sometimes I will use product support sites, which mean I am in the office a little more.

What essential skills and qualifications are needed?

I joined Ben Burgess as an apprentice, which meant I studied with John Deere while working for three years, and achieved my landbased technician accreditation.  Prior to that, I had my GCSEs and an interest in agriculture.

What experience did you have before starting?

My family works in agriculture and I therefore gained farming knowledge from an early age.