For the third in our Progressive TSL Profile series we chat with Jon Barker, Senior Consultant for Enterprise Asset Management implementation. Here he shares some of the unique experiences in the five years he has worked for the company.

Tell us more about your role at Progressive TSL
I am part of the EAM (Enterprise Asset Management) Team implementing Infor EAM and IBM Maximo for our clients.  Though I understand the full breadth of the EAM solution – Purchasing, Inventory, Maintenance and Finance, my specialism is Maintenance of Assets or CMMS.

What path had your career taken before joining Progressive TSL?
Originally, I trained as a Mechanical Engineer, and then I previously worked on the other side of the fence as the system manager for IBM Maximo, with 400 users.  This was at Green Energy company, Infinis; I was heavily involved in the implementation of the system, projects, upgrades and bespoke configuration to meet the needs of that business. So, when I came to Progressive, I had all that knowledge of what challenges end-users face during and after a system is implemented.

What Attracted You to Work at Progressive TSL?
The opportunity to travel again. I stopped travelling with work when I got married and started a family.  Now my boys are older and have left home; I once again have the freedom to go abroad and experience other countries.

What’s it like working at Progressive TSL?
There’s a real family feel to the company, their size and culture mean we can be responsive and quick reacting to any changes in technology or business.  I’ve learned a lot since starting to work with them over five years ago, and the learning never stops, every project is a new experience to learn and improve on our services and help businesses to achieve their next phase of growth.

What do you enjoy most about your work?
Progressive TSL has given me plenty of opportunities to travel.  I have worked on projects in Cote d’ Ivoire, Chad, Cameroon, Lagos and Canada – I really enjoy working with people from different cultures and visiting new countries.

My travel experiences have really broadened my mind, for example, I loved Chad, it was a beautiful country right by the Sahara Desert. Travelling by road, I saw so many new sights, for example, a guy on a motorbike carrying a goat to market on his back and a family travelling by minibus with all their worldly goods balanced on the bus including livestock perched on the roof. Everyone is so friendly there. During my time in Chad, I stayed in a remote camp with shipping containers for accommodation, attached to an onshore plant, which was an experience in itself!

Another project I really enjoyed was for Endeavour Mining in Cote d’ Ivorie. They mine for Gold and the process for extracting tiny slivers of gold is fascinating; the time-intensive process helps you to appreciate why gold is so expensive.

What do you like to do to relax?
I enjoy getting in the garage and doing a bit of carpentry to make things for the home. Often, I find that making furniture can be very relaxing and you get unique, one-off pieces that can’t be found in the shops. I also enjoy photography and taking off for a spin on my motorbike.

When I get a chance, I also catch some Formula 1. Silverstone isn’t far from my home, so I often go to the track - I’ve met many of the greats including David Coulthard, Lewis Hamilton and Jensen Button. 

As an Asset Management Consultant, what do you see as the next big technological advancement?
Two technologies that are going to be massive and transform the oil and gas asset management industry in the next few years are IoT, which is already seeing a lot of pick up from larger oil and gas businesses, particularly for CMMS.

The other is wearables. When it comes to health and safety benefits for lone workers, wearables will be a great benefit.  When people are working on their own, often in remote places, their colleagues can check their wellbeing by monitoring their heartbeat, temperature etc. This can identify whether they have been injured or are sick, and help can get to them quicker. 

I’m excited to see where Asset Management technology will take us in the next five years – it’s an interesting time to be doing this job!

KeyFacts Energy Industry Directory: Progressive TSL