Tell us a bit about yourself.

I live with my fiancée, daughter and dog in the beautiful town of Leamington Spa. From a young age I’ve enjoyed making things and solving problems so engineering has been a great fit for being able to do what I love day to day. I have a late 90’s MX5 that I occasionally get to tinker with and in my spare time I’m probably much like my Labrador; happy to be outside. My favourite film is either Back to the Future or The Fast and the Furious and my favourite celebrity is Guy Martin, I aspire to have a workshop like his.

What’s your engineering experience?

I worked on a farm whilst I was at school which was great for hands on mechanical knowledge; it’s amazing what you can learn to fix with a simple tool kit, some binder twine and a bit of clever thinking. I went to the University of Warwick in 2010 to study Automotive Engineering and graduated at the top of my class with a 1st class Masters degree. My engineering career started in the automotive sector, initially working on exhaust systems for lorries at Eminox whilst at university then in the Mechanical Development team at Cummins improving large diesel and natural gas engines for mining and power gen markets. More recently I’ve worked as the Senior Mechanical Engineer in the Innovation team at Brady Corporation developing health and safety products, specialising in the design and validation of injection moulded components.

What qualifications do you have?

I’ve mentioned my 1st class MEng degree, but since university I’ve pushed to continue my learning and development. I’ve demonstrated my design and CAD skills by becoming a certified SOLIDWORKS Professional (CSWP) and have proven my problem solving skills by becoming a 6 Sigma Green Belt. I try to keep on top of latest industry developments by attending relevant expos and have presented at a couple of conferences in the past on engine component design and test. I’m also a member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and have several patents to my name ranging from diesel engine power cylinder parts to retractable barrier systems.

Why did you start Foxworks Engineering?

Ultimately I wanted to open up the scope of my work beyond the specific field I was in and offer my skills to a wider audience. I have a breadth of experience and knowledge when it comes to mechanical engineering and product design that can be a rare find. Having done a mix of very hands-on jobs and very theoretical jobs over the years I’m well placed to balance technical and practical needs; I can develop a complex system using sound engineering principals for example but also design it so that it can be manufactured and assembled with minimal fuss. Couple that with the genuine sense of enjoyment I get when I’m solving complex problems and you get Foxworks; my conduit to meet with new people and solve new and interesting issues in innovative ways.

How do you become an engineer?

Inspiring the next generation into engineering is a passion of mine, and when I’ve had this question at school STEM events I’ll say it comes down to being curious; figure out how things work, tinker with cars, write code, play with a raspberry pi, try and repair something that’s broken… If you have the curiosity then the rest should follow. After school (where it’s important to get a good grounding in maths and physics) I followed a university route into an engineering career, but apprenticeships are an alternative route which I wish I’d learned about when I was younger. It probably comes down to how your brain works best; if you prefer learning through theory then university might be better, if you prefer learning through hands on experience then an apprenticeship might be better. In either case you should end up with a degree and a career doing really interesting work. Make sure to hang on to that sense of curiosity too, keep that flame burning!

How do I work with you?

Yes, this one is a selfless plug to get Foxworks involved with one of your projects. But if you think my engineering and design expertise could be of use in any of your design and development work then please drop me a message. Details over on the contact page.

Shining a spotlight on Craig Fox, founder of Foxworks.