Wessington would like to say a huge congratulations to Dan Heslop on completing his Lean Manufacturing Operations apprenticeship with a distinction!
Dan has been on an incredible journey with Wessington Cryogenics since starting as an apprentice fabricator welder back in 2013. Over the years, he’s taken on new challenges, built his skills in fabrication, training, and robotics, and is now leading the way as our Continuous Improvement Engineer Lead.
In his own words, Dan shares more about his career journey and how he’s grown with the company. Read his story below!
I began my journey at Wessington in April 2013 as an apprentice fabricator welder. By the summer of 2014, I had completed my apprenticeship and became time-served, working primarily in the inners section. During this time, I had the opportunity to learn from and work closely with Peter Ashman, often stepping up as cover team leader in his absence.
As my experience grew, I took on the responsibility of training an apprentice, who has since become a time-served fabricator welder and a valuable member of the team. Alongside my fabrication skills, I became trained in robot programming, a key process in our production, and now have the capability to train others in this area as well.
In 2023, I stepped into a new challenge, taking on the role of Continuous Improvement Engineer Lead. To further develop my skills, I began a second apprenticeship in Lean Manufacturing Operations, which I completed with a distinction. I have also completed courses in process mapping and earned a Yellow Belt in 5S, reinforcing my ability to drive efficiency and best practices across the business.
My time at Wessington has been filled with growth, learning, and new challenges, and I look forward to continuing to develop and contribute to the company’s success