b'Member News July 2021 17My working lifeMy working life: Brian Bannister BSc MPhil CEng FIETBe prepared to accept newto Council in 1996, Ive been involved ideas as you move along inin so many memorable activities your career.with the IET throughout my career. I started my working life after A LevelsAs a lecturer in Stafford and as a Student Apprentice at The Marconiprogressing to Director of Company in 1954 and have always beenUndergraduate Studies in the grateful for the excellent start it gaveElectronic Engineering Department me. I find it very encouraging to noteat the University of Hull, I was able the current resurgence of interest into serve on various committees and apprenticeships as a valuable alternativeboards that were relevant to my role in to full-time education. Either way,academia, such as being elected Chair however, it is often difficult at first toof the Library Committee, Deputy judge where developments in yourChair of the Scholarships Committee chosen field might lead.and a member of the Schools Education and Liaison Committee.Brian Bannister BSc MPhil CEng FIET I had the option to get involved with other IET activities that complemented My first placement at the Marconi Company, havingmy career, as well as my interests as completed the basic Workshop Training course, was in thean engineer, which led to taking on Vice Chair and later Chair positions for Physics Lab at the Great Baddow Research Labs, with athe Computing and Control Division.team endeavouring to build two independent transistors onA career in engineering is a single chip. Little did I know that, at retirement age, I wouldinnovative, everchanging, be active in research into test and verification methods fordiverse, and above VLSI devices with more than a million transistors on a chip! all, rewarding. From being a young engineer part of the team at Marconis producing Try to take an interest in allI realised early on in my careerthe first computer in a desk to aspects of your organisationshow useful the IET could be,being a UNESCO consultant to the business but be ready toboth personally and in its workNgee Ann Polytechnic in Singapore, I change career direction if in the profession and beyond.certainly enjoyed a rewarding career. you feel its right to do so.You can learn about the broader issues inA particularly emotional occasion our profession and, by volunteering to helpwas the first visit to Czechoslovakia Start your own company perhaps or takewith two colleagues, soon after the a degree, there are so many ways to keepwith the work of our Institution, you meetVelvet Revolution in 1992, under the learning and developing your skills. Afterall sorts of like-minded people, some ofTEMPUS Joint European Project, when eight years with the Marconi Company,whom turn out to be very helpful! the Head of Department in Bratislava which I thoroughly enjoyed, I developed awelcomed us with, We have had feeling that I should take up teaching. AtThere are limitless opportunitiesmany offers of help but you are the 29, I applied for and was offered a post atto get involved, progress, andfirst to actually do something. But the Staffordshire College of Technologyachieve great things in yourthe most rewarding, I think, has been (which soon became the North Staffscareer as an IET member. teaching and working with so many Polytechnic) to help develop and teach onstudents, both undergraduate and a new degree course in Digital Electronics,From my time as a Student Counsellorpostgraduate, helping them on their probably the first of its kind in the country. in the 70s and 80s to being electedfirst steps in their chosen career.Start your own company perhaps or take a degree, there are so many ways to keep learning and developing your skills.Are you a retired member who would like to be featured in our next issue? Please contact us at: membernews@theiet.org'