Building a career as a Jet Maintenance Manager

Theo Stanley is an Apprentice Maintenance Manager at Jet Plant Hire. We got his insight into his role and responsibilities at the highways and construction industry specialist.

As an Apprentice Maintenance Manager, Theo is immersed in a varied and hands-on role at Jet. Having been with the industry leading team for more a year, he’s balancing a role which combines practical on the job work with industry recognised training.

Theo is currently progressing well through his Maintenance Level 3 Apprenticeship at Evesham New College — a course specialising in technical skills for young people.

With a year and a half left to go in his studies, Theo has already applied what he’s learnt and is gaining a strong foothold in his exciting, new career. In addition to his college course, Theo learns every day from some of his more experienced colleagues at Jet and benefits from the tutorial of a dedicated mentor.

Theo’s main role involves keeping the Jet fleet in peak condition, focusing on maintenance of essential equipment including road planers. While 80% of his job centres around the upkeep of machinery, his tasks can vary greatly, whether it’s repairing hydraulic pipes, adjusting tracks or ensuring mechanisms function smoothly. Some days, it can be a minor fix like tightening a loose bolt, other days, it’s a full-service to guarantee the machine’s reliability on-site.

Theo identified welding as one of the areas that isn’t currently part of his repertoire, but says he is really keen to add to his future skillset. It’s this type of insight and foresight that is one of the reasons Theo is highly thought of at Jet.

Theo particularly loves heading out to job sites at least once a week, where he gets the rewarding experience of fixing important machines in-situ. Once fixed and safety checked, these high-capacity machines are then immediately put back to work.

It’s clear to see from speaking to Theo that he takes immense pride in helping to fix things, but particularly those involving emergency equipment cases. This is because he knows that his efforts are helping to keep Jet projects on track.

“You get a great sense of pride and satisfaction from going out to site and helping to repair a machine that is then put back to work on a job,” he explains. “Learning and growth are part of my everyday experience and I really value the input from those around me.”

In addition to the hands-on aspects of his work, Theo also spends time each week on essential back-office paperwork routines and training on digital systems. Though this is a completely different type of challenge, Theo appreciates the opportunity to push himself, knowing that each new skill strengthens his overall capabilities.

Safety is a core value at Jet, woven into each day through regular testing and checks and Theo’s training reflects the importance of health, safety and environmental awareness.

It is clear to see that these values closely align with his own and he is acutely aware of how vital those aspects are within the wider industry. In addition, working at Jet has clearly provided Theo with a strong appreciation of how important it is to integrate sustainability and environmental consideration into everyday practices.

Theo’s journey into the industry follows in his father Mark Stanley’s footsteps, who has been a Jet employee for more 30 years. It’s obvious to anyone who meets Theo that he has a strong passion and connection to the industry.

With Jet’s ongoing support and a balance of structured college training and practical experience, he’s understandably excited about his future with the company. “Work hard and show a good attitude, and you’ll be looked after by Jet,” he says, reflecting the sense of respect and support that motivates him every day.