What made you choose Arbtech?
When I arrived back in the UK after spending six years in Australia, I contacted a couple of consultancies for work.
I had an interview with a respected multidisciplinary in Canterbury, and I spoke with Matt Middle at Arbtech. I got on immediately with Matt. His vibe was a lot more chilled with the Arbtech chat, we talked in a much more personal, conversational way, and I was sold on that as a better fit, as opposed to the more ‘traditional’ office-based and corporate feel of the alternative option.
Matt fed back to Rob, and I received a call with a job offer almost immediately. Rob trusted Matt’s recommendation enough to give me a job without any further interviews! A company owner having such trust in the delegated responsibilities of his team that he acted on their opinion without question – That was when I was sold on Arbtech.
What do you love most about the company?
I love my colleagues. And I mean that genuinely.
I have friends at work. Not work friends – friends.
Everyone has your back, and that alone makes for a really fantastic working environment.
What do you do when you are not at Arbtech?
I have two young children (and a grown one).
We moved back to Cornwall from Kent in January 2022, and since then, I’ve been co-opted into the scout movement and run the local 1st Bude scout section. That’s not just two hours a week either! It’s incredibly rewarding but takes up a lot of my time.
I also train at Brazilian jiu-jitsu at least twice a week and help teach the kids classes at the weekend.
We are a family of skaters. We roller skate as often as we can between other family activities.
Weekends are filled with teaching the kids to surf and snorkel in the warmer months and getting the dog running around the beach all year round.
What is your biggest tip to achieve the most in life?
Leave work at work and focus on your life goals.
I like to take one step at a time and work on that before moving on to the next one. I don’t like to muddy the waters by running several goals at once. Having said that, sometimes they align.
Every aspect of my life has improved with getting physically fitter. Look after your body and it will look after you.
Take risks and fall often. It’s the best way to learn not to fall again!
What is the best social you’ve been on at Arbtech?
I’ve been to loads over the years: track days in Porches and Peugeots; spa retreats; shooting; quad bikes; climbing.
The trips away are my favourite – Prague and Madrid were amazing city breaks. That said, I do like to have an activity on hand. As they say, ’the devil makes work for idle hands’.
This year’s Austria trip was absolutely awesome! Spending a full week with a bunch of friends on the slopes was truly epic.
Up at 06:30 am to be first on the gondola every day after evenings spent eating, drinking and forging new friendships is definitely my bag.
Where do you want to travel to next?
I’m keen to get the family out on the mountains and hope to visit the alps again in 2024.
I am also looking forward to camping in France this summer. Heading down to just north of Biarritz will allow some family surfing in the sun. I can’t wait to see the kids riding more waves.
France is a personal favourite, as I have enough French to get by. One of the best things about being abroad, in my opinion, is trying to fit in with the culture. The pride that the kids have when ordering breakfast from the boulangerie in the mornings is priceless.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?
Crap – I’ll be 52 by then!
If I’m not still at Arbtech, I’d be surprised.
I’m sure I’ll be struggling to deal with surly teenagers out of work.
I will still be in Cornwall, and hopefully, we will have the new home sorted, leaving me to concentrate on BJJ and regularly surfing.
What is a goal you have for the future, in or out of work?
I’d very much like to progress my BJJ so that it is fluid, but that’s just a function of time and effort.
If I can get a hang ten in before I’m 50, that would be amazing! I’m working towards becoming a climbing Instructor – all small but rewarding goals.
Jon joined Arbtech in January 2014.
Robert Oates, managing director says:
I didn’t interview Jon. In fact, I hadn’t even spoken to him before I decided to offer him a job. Both Matt and Alan raved about him so much during the couple or three months that he worked for us as a sub-contractor, that when we realised we had the sustained demand required to expand the in-house team again, he seemed like the perfect fit. To date, he’s shown himself to be nothing short of exceptional.
