Organisation: Department of Railways
Job Title: Train Technician
Word Limit: 2000 to 4000 characters maximum
Location: Sydney Regional / Sydney City
Trade qualification in an electrical or mechanical fitting trade
As a professional electrical and mechanical fitter for twenty years I hold the following
qualifications.
Fitter and First class machinist awarded by Trades recognition Australia
Diploma in Tool and Die making, NTTF, Bangalore
Certificate in tool and die making, NTTF, Bangalore
Restricted Electrical License
Forklift License.
Operate breathing apparatus including SCBA.
Confined space trained.
Fire safety and First aid training
Occupational health and safety (White card)
In addition I have;
Experience working on large scale projects as part of a team and also in an independent capacity
with the ability to identify and resolve issues as they arise
20 years of experience within the electrical and mechanical industries working on everything from
electrical construction through to maintenance
A thorough knowledge of Australian electrical standards and legislation, as well as an
understanding of electrical systems and equipment
An excellent knowledge of site health and safety procedures, including risk assessments and Job
Safety Analyses (JSAs)
Extensive plant and equipment maintenance, including forklifts, tractors, welders, roller doors and
air conditioners
Ability to work comfortably in confined spaces for extended periods AC and DC motor
maintenance and repair
Working knowledge of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) and their use for fault-finding and
repairing
Working competently and safely with HV and LV switchgear, cabling and power generation
systems
Document service and installation actions by completing forms, reports and /or logs
Working on a variety of system voltages, including 120v, 50v
In all tasks I demonstrate my ability to follow directions and procedures, achieving deadlines and
high levels of productivity. My knowledge of systems, protocols, policies and procedures ensures I
am meticulous in all tasks that I do. I see all jobs through to completion, and can adapt quickly to
new environments and team dynamics.
Previous experience in conducting inspections, services, maintenance, component changes and
repairs to mechanical and electrical control systems and equipment
My previous and current experience includes the installation, maintenance and running of
electrical and mechanical plant and equipment. In my current position at Zammit Ham & Bacon
Pty Ltd I conduct inspections of all the plant equipment on a routine basis ensuring the equipment
is running smoothly with no loss of production. I am always aware of any mechanical and or
electrical faults and attend to them on an immediate basis. It is important that down time is kept
to a minimum during production times so I am constantly on the alert for any slowing down due to
mechanical or electrical failure. Carrying out preventative maintenance is also a high priority in
order to ensure faults do not develop that could, impede production. This includes checking the
electrical equipment, lines and cables, motors, insulation and safety aspects of the equipment and
making modifications to improve the safety and smooth running of the equipment is vital.
My experience includes working with food processing machinery and production lines where
Goods manufacturing practices, Occupational Health and Safety & HACCP meeting the Food
industry standards are paramount. My experience also includes erecting, commissioning and
maintaining heavy equipment such as feed bins, conveyers, magnetic separators, shredders, rotary
treatment chamber, high volume gas burners and other dangerous equipment. I also fix faults in
production due to servo drives, mechanical breakdown, cam misalignments, Electrical parts
failure, electronic sensors, pneumatic controllers or valves and have an excellent knowledge of the
working principles of and hands on experience of Pneumatics and hydraulic cylinders, vacuum
systems and pumps and servo motors
My extensive training in Thiess Comprehensive Isolation Procedures (The Isolation and Starter
Protection Electrical Upgrade (ISPU) is one such example. This system simplifies the isolation
process and prevents electrical component damage as a result of improper machine operation
automatically isolating the starter circuits during operation and the entire machine after a period
of inactivity. As a result, the ISPU reduces the potential for electrical faults, and improves operator
safety and equipment protection) ensures I follow safe work practices when maintaining and
repairing electrical and mechanical equipment.
Demonstrated ability to analyse and rectify problems on mechanical and electrical equipment
With 20 years’ experience, my ability to analyse and rectify problems on mechanical and electrical
equipment is well illustrated by the following example.
During my current tenure with Zammit at one time one of the ovens was taking twice as long as
normal to cook the ingredients. No alarms were evident and an initial investigation did not show
any faults so I proceeded to carry out a series of checks. I discovered there was a lack of steam
pressure and the steam valve had ceased to operate. Tracing this fault down I discovered a lack of
air pressure and the failure of a pneumatic valve. It seemed the pneumatic valve was not getting
the appropriate signals from the PLC (PLC. A programmable logic controller, PLC or programmable
controller is a digital computer used for automation of typically industrial electromechanical
processes, such as control of machinery on factory assembly lines, amusement rides, or light
fixtures. PLCs are used in many industries and machines.) This mean the Fan motor could be faulty
and not switching from low to high speed. This indicated a potential electronic fault in the
electrical board such as a relay or bad connection. Checking other areas such as energy sources,
power steam etc showed they were operating effectively which meant the problem was with the
control sector in the electrical board.
I went through the board checking for any connections that had come loose and the sequence of
operations performed by the PLC. Continuing to trace this fault down I eventually discovered a
faulty contactor auxiliary was sticking and not operating correctly as a result. All it required was a
simple tap on the auxiliary and the contactor was released and everything then returned to
normal operation. My experience, knowledge and expertise enabled me to correctly trace down
the fault and apply the correct action to restore production. To prevent further issues I obtained a
new auxiliary part and, at the first opportunity, replaced it.
Proven ability to work with minimum supervision and meet tight deadlines
Often called upon to work varying shifts often with little or no supervision I am used to working
alone and to tight deadlines. An example is my current position with Zammit, a food processing
company that processes 40 to 50 tonnes of meat each day. It is important that the processing line
runs smoothly and with minimal downtime. The operation includes freezers, thawing rooms,
pumping stations, filling stations, tumbling, cooking, refrigeration, slicing, gas flushing, cyovac or
vacuum packaging and dispatch all of which must be working smoothly and in coordination. If
there is a hold up at any step of the process that holds up the entire work and costs money in
terms of time , labour, spoiled meat and health and safety issues. In all there are around 200
machines involved in the process from start to finish, many imported from various parts of the
world such as Germany and Austria. This does not include the various boilers, air compressor
vacuum pumps, forklifts, elect pallet jacks and other ancillary equipment all of which must be
maintained in good order.
Working autonomously I do a routine check each day of all the major equipment to reveal and
note any service and maintenance requirements as well as attending to breakdowns in a swift and
effective manner. This means I manage my time to ensure I carry out all the required inspections.
Recently, over the busy holiday period I discovered a tumbler which normally tumbles around five
tonnes of meat at a time and usually does three tumbles a day producing a strange noise. As there
was a potential breakdown there and it was also the busiest time of the year I had to come up
with a fast but effective solution to ensure the machine was able to continue operating and there
was no loss of production. Checking the fault I discovered the main motor was developing a major
fault and needed to be pulled out for rebuilding. This meant the tumbler would need to be
stopped for 24 to 48 hours reducing production by around 30 tonnes.
I quickly came up with a plan to minimise the down time and loss of production and discussed this
with the production team to work out the best time to stop the machine for repairs. I also
negotiated with management to purchase a spare motor to cater for any future emergencies and
they obtained one almost immediately.
To reduce the down time I stayed back after production so I could work on the machine overnight
and ensured the tumbler was read for production first thing the next day. I completed this and the
tumbler was in operation first thing the following day. This demonstrated my ability to work
without supervision and achieve the required result under a tight deadline.
Ability to interact with other trades/disciplines within the overall context of a maintenance
environment
Being flexible and adapting my communication methods for different persons I communicate with
has proven effective, in ensuring my directions are understood and executed. Showing respect to
all other persons regardless of background, skill level or experience is important to me, and this
contributes to my ability to collaborate effectively with others. Appreciating the efforts others put
in, as well as genuinely listening to them builds and maintain effective relationships, facilitating
positive influence and productive outcomes.
Although I am the only maintenance technician for the factory, due to my boss having other duties
such as the overall administration of the factory, he instructed me to liaise and interact with other
trades people as required when it came to maintenance matters. This includes various plumbers,
service technicians, electricians, building contractors and other tradespeople.
My ability to interact effectively with other trades persons in relation to the maintenance of plant
and equipment is expressed through the following experience. A new pumping machine from
Austria was being installed and a service technician flown over from Austria to commission and
provide training on the machine. This went well and the machine began operating. However, after
a month faults with the injection head began to develop and we were not able to resolve the
problem with the company’s local technician who installed the machine as it involved a complex
operation of changing the software on the drives and synchronising with the other heads. I then
contacted the manufacturer in Austria and explained the problem pointing out we were losing
production due to the machine unable to operate at full capacity. The technicians in Austria asked
for the machine to go online so they could check the software and I organised the machine to be
connected to our server and become available online to the technicians in Austria. They then
collected up the information required and located the problem which was with faulty encoders.
They quickly had replacement parts shipped to us by courier and I then manually installed the
parts and got the machine running at 100 percent efficiency.
This demonstrates my ability to effectively interact with other trades, in this case IT personnel
overseas, in order to ensure a job gets done with minimal loss of production.
Demonstrated knowledge and awareness of Sydney Trains' probity and ethical standards
As a hard working mechanical minded manufacturing and maintenance professional I maintain a
high level of responsibility and ethical standards whilst maintaining a high standard and quality of
work.
My understanding of Sydney Trains is that it is important to be customer centric, responsive to
and proactively seek to address the needs of customers and in all my work to be dedicated to the
improvement and delivery of customer focussed services. Safety is a key issue and I am committed
to the health, wellbeing and security of Sydney Train’s customers and employees. My integrity is
aligned to Sydney Trains and I am committed to working honestly, ethically, transparently and
fairly. This means I I am responsible and accountable for my decisions and actions and will seek to
use the best possible resources. I have considerable experience in working cooperatively and will
work together in a dynamic, integrated team and partnerships to deliver high quality transport
results for NSW.
My understanding of Sydney Trains and the Transit system is that respecting the obligations
placed upon State Transit staff to comply with our procurement policies and procedures, and our
Code of Conduct is paramount and that I will
Comply with State Transit’s procurement policies and procedures
Provide accurate, concise and reliable information when required
Be honest, fair and dependable in all dealings with State Transit
Declare any actual or perceived conflicts of interests as soon as I become aware of them
Preventing the unauthorised disclosure of State Transit confidential information
Refrain from accepting State Transit staff inducements, incentives, gifts or other benefits that may
lead to, or may be seen as leading to, an unfair advantage in dealings with State Transit
Ensuring I do not discuss State Transit business in the media
Ensure I do not engage in any form of collusive practices
And will assist State Transit to identify and eradicate unethical practices in our business
relationships and to report to State Transit as soon as practicable any serious wrongdoing related
to State Transit’s work, e.g. corruption, fraud, maladministration, serious and substantial waste, or
breaches of the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009
Knowledge and understanding EEO, OHS, Environmental, Bullying and Harassment (including
Ethnic Affairs Statement), policies and procedures and committed to ethical practices
As an electrical and mechanical professional who has worked in the food industry for many years I
am extremely aware of the vital importance of Health and Safety. I am aware of the Equal
Opportunity Act that provides for equal treatment for the disabled, race colour, decent,
nationality, culture, age, religion, ancestry and ethnic background and pride myself on treating all
people as equals and do not participate or condone discrimination and harassments of any sort.
The new work health and safety (WHS) laws commenced on 1 January 2012 in many states and
territories to harmonise Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) laws across Australia and
Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) legislation includes a model WHS Act, regulations, Codes of
Practice and a national compliance and enforcement policy. I take OHS and WHS very seriously
when working on electrical and dangerous equipment take all appropriate safety measures to
ensure mine and the safety of others from hazards such as electric shock, damage to life and limbs
etc. This includes keeping a watch to ensure others are applying the same safety protocols and
acting swiftly if a violation is observed.
I am fully aware of the Ethnic Affairs Priority Statement (EAPS) and apply this in my interactions
with others including peers, other employees, managers, clients, tradespersons and other
stakeholders. I follow the Community Relations Commission and Principles of Multiculturalism Act
2000 which states that all individuals in NSW should have the greatest possible opportunity to
contribute to, and participate in, all aspects of public life in which they may legally participate and
all individuals and institutions should respect and make provision for the culture, language and
religion of others within an Australian legal and institutional framework where English is the
common language. It also states that all individuals should have the greatest possible opportunity
to make use of and participate in relevant activities and programs provided or administered by the
Government of NSW and all institutions of NSW should recognise the linguistic and cultural assets
in the population of NSW as a valuable resource and promote this resource to maximise the
development of the State.
As such I am bound by and committed to the ethical practices as outlined in the various acts and
legislation that covers EEO, OHS, WHS, bullying and harassment policies and procedures including
the EAPS.
