We Are Randox | Randox raises Ā£4464 for local charity Hope 365 to build āHope Homesā in Ethiopia
We Are Randox | Randox raises Ā£4464 for local charity Hope 365 to build āHope Homesā in Ethiopia
A care centre in Ethiopia which looks after rescued street children has expressed its gratitude after thousands of pounds were raised by global diagnostics firm Randox, which will go towards supplying new furnishings for the centre and employing additional staff.
Almost £4,500 was donated in the company‘s annual charity raffle which will go towards improving facilities at the Tesfa Manoriya Bota Centre which is run by the Northern Ireland charity Hope 365. It was established 18 months ago by Chief Executive, Michael Holmes who has an extensive background working with charity organizations. Before establishing Hope365 Michael spent the last eight years working in Ethiopia to help improve the life of children who were left homeless.
The ‘hope home’, as it’s known locally, offers a new start for street children in Ethiopia who have been living in squalid, unsanitary, dangerous and unhealthy conditions. The Randox raffle donation will fund new furnishings for the centre and support the employment of specially trained staff, counselors and educational experts to develop individual care plans for each child, helping them to look forward to a bright future.
Randox Founder and Managing Director, Dr Peter FitzGerald said;
“We hold an annual raffle every year and donate the proceeds to charity. This year we decided to pick a local charity, Hope 365, which is near our headquarters in Crumlin. When we heard about the great work that Hope 365 were doing for children in Ethiopia we decided that the money would go a long way to improving their lives and wellbeing. The Tesfa Manoriya Bota Centre is really a life-changing place for Street Kids that will not only give them the opportuntiy to learn and develop but give them a whole new lease of life and security for the future. We were thrilled that all our staff were able to raise so much to support this worthy charity.”
Hope 365 Chief Executive, Michael Holmes said;
“This funding will make a huge difference in the lives of the children we work with, many of whom don’t even know what age they are when we meet them. Their parents have died due to either illness or poverty and they are left homeless, sleeping in doorways and drains, with no one to take care of them or protect them. No human being deserves to live like this, especially not a child. Though the charity is only in its infancy, every donation goes directly to the Hope Home and we ultimately aim to provide a home for 26 children in the future at the Hope Home. We want to help them reach their full potential and educational ambitions and where possible, reunite them with their extended family.”
If you would like to get involved with charity fundraising in 2017, please share your ideas with us by emailing internal.communications@randox.com.
We Are Randox | Randox employees give back to the community with charity events and fundraising initiatives
With the January blues in full force we decided to have a look back over all the wonderful events that Randox staff took part in during 2016. Together Randox staff rallied together to raise money for numerous events and charities making a huge difference to the lives of others.
Back in April Rachel Walls, our technical support specialist in Ardmore initiated a bake sale on behalf of her sister, Ursula McKenna who ran both the Dublin Marathon and Manchester half Marathon in aid of Cystic Fibrosis Trust. The bake sale was a roaring success and Randox staff enjoyed a selection of scrumptious buns raising a total of £308 that went towards Ursula’s total fundraising amount of £3000.
Ursula said,
“Our cousin suffers from Cystic Fibrosis, and running a few marathons is easy compared to what he has to deal with on a daily basis.”
Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic condition caused by a faulty gene that controls the movement of salt and water across the cell wall. This causes mucus to build up in the lungs and digestive tract, causing problems with breathing and digestion. An estimated 1 in 2,500 babies born in the UK have Cystic Fibrosis, with more than 2.5 million people in the UK carrying the faulty gene. Currently there is no cure for Cystic Fibrosis, however there are treatments to help manage the symptoms. The Cystic Fibrosis Trust helps suffers by funding cutting-edge research, driving up standards of care and supporting people with the condition and their loved ones every step of the way.
May was the month that Randox staff and the Randox Biosciences department joined together to help raise awareness of stroke by wearing purple clothes to work.
Stoke is a brain attack that occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. Blood carries essential nutrients and oxygen to the brain so without blood your brain cells can be damaged or die.
This damage can have different effects, depending on where it happens in your brain. A stroke can affect the way your body works as well as how you think, feel and communicate. The Stroke Association have dedicated the month of May to raising awareness and increasing the public’s knowledge of this condition.
In July Gary Laverty, one of our software developers who works in our Laurelbank site took a beating when he allowed Randox staff to throw water balloons at him in order to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support. This charity aims to improve the lives of everyone who is diagnosed with cancer. Their aim is to make life a little brighter and ensure that no one faces this horrible disease alone. They are on hand to offer assistance right from the beginning of a diagnosis, through treatment and beyond, including support to the wider family circle.
Gary raised a total of £409.38 on the day which was presented to Margaret Young from Macmillan Cancer Support at Randox headquarters in Crumlin.
Gary Laverty said,
“When my father was ill last year, Macmillan offered tremendous support to both him and my family. Their commitment to helping cancer patients is incredible, really life-changing. I debated a few fundraising ideas but thought that the water balloon idea was something unusual so I hoped people would see it as a really fun event. The fundraiser went really well and I am delighted at the amount we raised for such an amazing charity! My colleagues got really involved and it was a really fun event, thankfully it wasn’t too cold on the day!”
In the months leading up to Christmas Randox Teoranta in Dungloe our team of scientists engineers and software developers organised a Christmas shoebox appeal in conjunction with Team Hope, a charity based in Ireland, who for the past 18 years have delivered Christmas shoebox gifts to over three million children in some of the remotest and poorest parts of the world. Randox Teoranta filled a total of 54 boxes with items ranging from school essentials, clothes, hats, scarves gloves and socks and of course extra special gifts for Christmas including games toys, sweets and even musical instruments.
Claire Newbon, Manufacturing Operative said,
“Within the team here at Randox Teoranta we are all very fortunate to have great jobs, loving families and a roof over our heads. But we are very aware that there are adults and children in other parts of the world who aren’t so lucky, through no fault of their own.
“At the most joyful time of the year, the Teoranta team wanted to be able to share the magic of Christmas with those children who would otherwise not get any presents.”
In the week leading up to Christmas Randox staff organised a Christmas jumper day with donations going towards Save the Children and a Christmas raffle on behalf of Hope 365. £640.25 was raised for Save the Children, and £4464.00 was raised for Hope 365, which would go towards furnishing “Hope Homes” in Ethiopia so that the children will have somewhere peaceful to sleep at night.
The Christmas raffle took place on 23rd December during which all staff from each site came together to see if they were lucky enough to win any of the prizes that were on offer. Prizes included a 55inch TV, M&S and Amazon vouchers, Christmas hampers, an IPad Air 2 and an extra day’s annual leave.
Randox Teoranta in Donegal also held their own Christmas Raffle and Coffee Morning with all proceeds going towards the local hospital in Dungloe. A total of €740 was raised for the hospital which was greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your generous donations throughout the year, we hope that we can continue to support charities and events throughout 2017.
If you would like to further support Hope 365 they are actively seeking 52 people to take part in a marathon or part of a marathon this year, to compliment a person who is running 52 marathons in one year for the charity. There is also a football academy, endorsed by Paddy McNair, which is taking place in July in Ethopia if you would like to get involved with this. For further information, please contact Internal Communications.
If you would like to get involved with charity fundraising in 2017, please share your ideas with us by emailing internal.communications@randox.com.
We Are Randox | Travis Lai returns home to Malaysia with Randox
Being part of a global company offers endless opportunities including career growth, international travel and the chance to relocate somewhere new and exciting, or to take your job back home!
Travis Lai, one of our business development executives for Randox Quality Control took the opportunity to relocate from London to Malaysia in order to be closer to his family back in December 2015! Read our Q&A below to find out what it’s like to work for Randox and how Travis enjoys being closer to his family and friends.
Hi Travis, can you tell us a little bit about your background working for Randox?
I have been with Randox now for nearly three years working as a business development executive for Randox Quality Control. As part of my role I am constantly developing new sales leads, developing relationships with current and new customers, in charge of distributor management and planning and overseeing new marketing initiatives which all aim to grow the Quality Control division at Randox.
How did you find working in the London?
When I first started working for Randox I was based in the London Wall office. I had been to London a few times before I joined Randox and already knew a few people who were living in London which was nice. London is a very vibrant and multi-cultural city with lots to do and see. It was a big change for me in the beginning as it took me a while to get used to the food and of course the weather! I made sure to buy a raincoat during my first week!
What made you decide to relocate home to Malaysia?
I worked in London from April 2014 to Dec 2015 before I took the opportunity to return home to Malaysia due to a family concern. I had been thinking about it for a while and when the opportunity came Randox approved my application for relocation. I was very pleased that I was given this unique opportunity as it’s quite rare that employees are able to transfer from London to as far as Asia for a job role. But that’s one of the perks working in a global organisation, you get to experience things that you wouldn’t get the opportunity to do so elsewhere– I am extremely grateful that I got the opportunity to move back home for work.
Were you able to continue to work in the same job role once you moved home?
Yes, I was able to continue to work as a business development executive for Randox Quality Control which is great, the only thing that changed was my location.
What do you enjoy the most about being home in Malaysia?
I love being closer to my family and friends here at home, I think that’s probably the best thing for me I missed them a lot when I was living in London. It’s also great to get back to the sunny weather, Malaysia is quite warm all year around so there isn’t much of a need for a raincoat over here and I also love the food. My favourite dish is called Nasi lemak, it is a Malay fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk and considered the national dish. In terms of work, it’s useful that I am closer to the end users and distributors. This really comes in handy when I need to get in touch with distributors urgently and I don’t have to worry about time differences.
If you are interested in joining our global team make sure that you check out Randox careers website to see what new opportunities we have for you.
#WeAreRandox
Santa makes an appearance at the annual Randox Christmas Raffle!
This morning at Randox HQ we held our Annual Christmas Raffle for all our staff, and we had a special visitor join us!
A friendly old man with a fluffy white beard, a bright red suit, and a large stocking packed full of Christmas gifts stopped by with his team of Christmas helpers to give a present to each of the children, who were visiting Randox with their parents.
That’s right, it was Santa Claus! Santa’s visits to Randox have become a well-established tradition here since they began in 1982, the same year the company was founded. Mrs FitzGerald invited all the staff to bring their children to work on the final Friday before Christmas, where they were greeted by Santa and given a present.
Each year the room is always jam-packed and the air filled with joy and small squeaks of excitement, and 2016 was of course no different. This year Santa’s very busy helper Steven Moore searched high and low for the perfect gift for 108 girls and boys!
Each child got a present from Santa, sat with him to tell him what they want for Christmas, and had a family photo taken as a special souvenir of their visit to take home.
Santa’s time spent with the children of Randox followed a fun-filled morning of excitement and Christmas jubilation at our Annual Christmas Raffle.
We had some very lucky winners this year who walked away with some incredible prizes, generously donated in aid of our nominated charity, Hope 365.
Our biggest prize of the morning was a massive 55” TV, which was won by Craig Monahan from our IT Team, when his ticket was called out by our Master of Ceremonies, Michael Mulligan. Congratulations Craig!
Neville Gorman, our Manufacturing Planning Manager was also delighted when he won a 16GB iPad Air 2! What a fabulous start to the Christmas weekend for Neville.
Perhaps our most coveted of our annual Christmas Raffle is the extra day’s holiday kindly donated by our Human Resources Department. This star prize this year went to Charis Gryparis, one of our R&D Scientists.
Other prizes at our raffle included a Canon Printer, boxes of biscuits and sweets, Christmas hampers, Amazon and M&S vouchers, and much more.
All money raised through our raffle ticket sales are going towards the very worthy cause of Hope 365. Hope 365 is an Antrim based charity with shops in Crumlin and Ballyclare, which works to help the lives of street children in Ethiopia.
We are delighted to have been able to help Hope 365 in some way at this time of year and are very proud to announce that through our Christmas Raffle we have raised over £4200! Our money will furnish “Hope Homes” in Ethiopia with beds for these children.
Our team at Randox Teoranta in Donegal also held their own Christmas Raffle and Coffee Morning this week, with all proceeds going towards the local hospital in Dungloe.
We are very proud of our Teoranta team, who this year have raised a mammoth €740 for this hospital, through the Christmas Raffle and Coffee Morning, and additionally a Charity Lunch during the summer.
At the Teoranta Raffle, there were also a number of lucky prize winners – see the list below for the recipients!
Lorraine Boyle won a lovely voucher from Stepping Stone.
Paul Dunne and Imelda Bonner each won a festive bottle of whiskey.
Breid Gallagher, Brendan Bonner and Tony Sharkey took home a tasty box of sweets each.
Daniel Melly, Brendan Bonner, Dermot Sweeney and Kevin Boyle each won a bottle of wine.
John Boyle, Tony Sharkey, Eoin Boyle Pete McKee and Michael Boyle each took home a small gift from the raffle.
Lauren Kearns and Mark Reynolds were the lucky recipients of a box of Christmas biscuits each.
And lucky Conal O’Donnell won the coveted extra day of annual leave!
We have thoroughly enjoyed our Christmas Raffles and Santa Visit this year and we hope you enjoy seeing a selection of our photos from the events. We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all an enjoyable and relaxing break with your friends family at this time of year. Season’s Greetings!
For more information on our Christmas Raffles and Santa Visit at Randox please contact randoxpr@randox.com
We Are Randox | Christmas Traditions at Randox
Christmas time at Randox is always something to look forward to. Each year the different sites are brightly decorated, the Christmas tree goes up and everyone is full of Christmas cheer.
And with Christmas 2016 around the corner we thought that we would share with you some festive traditions that take place here at Randox.
It starts with some fairy lights and tiny Santas, and suddenly you realise you’re in a Winter Wonderland at Randox at Christmas time. Teresa is almost hidden at Ardmore reception by a miniature fir tree, decked with balls and stars! Wherever you are in the company, you will find festive cheer – this is a time of year when Randox goes to town, not only for its staff and their children but also charities and people in need.
It began in 1982, the same year the company was founded. Mrs FitzGerald invited all the staff to bring their children to work on the final Friday before Christmas, where they were greeted by Santa and given a present. As the company has grown so too has Santa’s list and this year his very busy helper Steven Moore has searched high and low for the perfect gift for 108 girls and boys! Each year the room is always jam-packed and the air filled with joy and small squeaks of excitement, and 2016 is of course no different.
Over the years new traditions have been added and everyone looks forward to the now legendary Randox Christmas raffle where there are always some fabulous prizes to be won. This year our raffle takes place on Friday 23rd December, and prizes include a 55” TV, an iPad and an extra day’s holiday which is always a popular prize! All money raised by the raffle is going towards the very worthy cause of Hope 365, an Antrim based charity that works to help street children in Ethiopia.
Then it’s time for ‘Secret Santa’ organised within each department. From a hat names are drawn, and you have to buy a present for whoever you pick! This has been a great tradition carried on by Randox staff for many years. It’s always fun to see what people get and trying to guess who was behind it!
As well as many individual team Christmas dinners over the month of December, the annual company-wide Christmas lunch is something many people look forward to. This year we’ll have almost 100 people joining us at the luxurious Merchant Hotel in Belfast on Thursday 22nd December.
Not only do our teams get involved in the Christmas festivities but they also organise a number of events to raise money for charities. This year we took part in Christmas Jumper Day on the 16th December for ‘Save the Children’ and raised a staggering £640.52!
We are also organising a collection for ‘Help the Homeless’, donating hats, scarfs, gloves to help keep everyone warm during the winter months. Our Randox Teoranta team in Donegal also donated 54 Christmas shoeboxes for the annual Team Hope Ireland Appeal.
We hope that you have enjoyed reading about some our traditions here at Randox and we wish you an enjoyable and relaxing time with your family at this time of year. Season’s Greetings!
For more information on our Christmas traditions at Randox please contact randoxpr@randox.com
We Are Randox | Randox Scientist Marta Crudden inspires the next generation of scientists at St. Bride’s Primary School
As a world-leader in diagnostics, dedicated to improving the health of populations across the globe, we know the importance of inspiring and nurturing the next generation of scientists who will carry on our hard work and strive to realise our vision.
Our scientists at Randox are all equally passionate, knowledgeable and experienced, and as such often make visits to schools, universities and colleges to spend time with students interested in asking our team about what it’s like to work in a global healthcare company.
This month, Marta Crudden, an R&D Scientist in our Serum Production Team, paid a visit to St. Bride’s Primary School in Belfast, to spend the day with the pupils there and showcase what a career in science has to offer.
Marta commented;
“When I was offered the opportunity to speak at St. Bride’s Primary School I jumped at the chance, because I am passionate about encouraging school children to pursue a career in STEM. I have a Biomedical Degree from Queen’s University and also spent 5 years there conducting cancer research, so science has played a big part in my life.
“I was delighted to be able to share my experiences with the children, who were very interested in what I had to say. It was very enjoyable listening to and answering their imaginative questions, and I particularly enjoyed the presentation I gave to the pupils on DNA, because they were all incredibly curious and eager to learn more.
“They were fascinated to hear that all cells, not just humans, have DNA, and therefore were throughly attentive when we moved on to our interactive session on DNA. During this session I showed them how to extract DNA from strawberries and what it really looks like in a real organism.
“This prompted a lot of interesting questions about cloning animals, including dinosaurs! There is nothing quite like the imagination and curiosity of children!
“A few days after my day at St Bride’s I received a number of messages from some of the parents saying thank you for my talk, and for inspiring their kids to become interested in science.
“I like to think that some of those children will go on to choose STEM subjects when they go to highschool, and could even end up working here at Randox! I’m delighted to have been able to share the work we do with the next generation of scientists.”
For more information on how Randox promotes STEM careers within schools and universities please contact randoxpr@randox.com
We Are Randox | Randox Teoranta get in the Christmas Spirit with Team Hope Christmas Shoebox Appeal
‘Tis the season of giving! And our team of scientists, engineers and office staff at Randox Teoranta, in Co. Donegal, Ireland have embraced this wholeheartedly, by getting involved with the Team Hope Christmas Shoebox Appeal.
For the past 18 years Team Hope, a charity based in Ireland (with the help of businesses, schools, and individuals) have delivered Christmas shoebox gifts to over three million children in some of the remotest and poorest parts of the world.
Many of these children’s families have to survive on less than €1 a day.
Those who get involved with the Team Hope Shoebox Appeal bring a ray of hope and joy to children who think they’ve been forgotten about at Christmas time.
Last year, 212,002 people across Ireland got involved with the Team Hope Shoebox Appeal, and this year, we are extremely proud that our Teoranta team took the time to fill an incredible 54 Christmas shoeboxes.
The team filled their boxes with gifts and useful items for the children, who will open their boxes on Christmas Day to find the wonderful surprises waiting for them inside!
These ranged from items for school like a pen, pencil, book, colouring pencils or calculator, to hygiene items such as toothbrush and toothpaste, soap, a facecloth, hairbrush and comb, plus clothes including hats, scarves, gloves and socks.
Finally, the staff made sure to include an extra special little something for each child to open up on Christmas Day! These included games, sweets, musical instruments, cuddly toys and skipping ropes.
Each box was then carefully gift wrapped with care in festive Christmas wrapping paper.
Claire Newbon, Manufacturing Operative, introduced the Showbox Appeal to Randox Teoranta and found that everyone was really keen to get involved.
“Within the team here at Randox Teoranta we are all very fortunate to have great jobs, loving families and a roof over our heads. But we are very aware that there are adults and children in other parts of the world who aren’t so lucky, through no fault of their own.
“At the most joyful time of the year, the Teoranta team wanted to be able to share the magic of Christmas with those children who would otherwise not get any presents.”
Katie Sweeney, Randox Teoranta Receptionist who co-ordinated the Shoebox Appeal Project for the team, added;
“Our boxes were collected by members of Team Hope and it is lovely to know that they will be opened by children less fortunate than us across the world. Staff in each department really got involved and we’re really proud of our achievement of creating over 50 boxes. Each box will make Christmas that little bit better for a child so we’re glad to have been able to help in some way. Merry Christmas to all the children who are helped by Team Hope, and of course to everyone at Team Hope for the fantastic work they do.”
For more information about how Team Teoranta got involved in the Team Hope Christmas Shoebox Appeal, please contact randoxpr@randox.com
We Are Randox | Randox Artist-in-Residence Joe McGuinness on his passion for art, his love of drawing and his plans to release a second novel
Through our We Are Randox stories we aim to showcase all our employees’ skills and talents and with a dedicated workforce of over 1400 people we are always spoilt for choice!
This week we sat down with artist Joe McGuinness, who joined our team only six weeks ago, to hear all about his passion for art, his love of drawing and his plans to release a second novel.
“I was about seven years old when I first realised that I was going to be an artist. I remember my mother was pregnant with my baby brother, she was unwell and I found her curled up on our sofa. So I went and got some paper and a pencil and decided that I was going to draw a portrait of her. To this day I can still remember the expression on her face when I showed her the finished piece. It was her reaction and the look in her eyes that kicked me off and I knew in that exact moment that art was going to be a big part of my life.”
As Joe went on to study Art and Design for three years at the Rupert Stanley College located in Belfast he found himself more interested in learning about the history of artists’ lives and what inspired them to produce art.
“I love the works of Paul Gauguin, Paul Cezanne and Vincent Van Gogh and I am fascinated by his life. There has been many an afternoon where I have just sat down and looked up as many channels as I can to find out more about him and how he lived. Similarly to Van Gough I tell a story or a personal journey that I have been on through my art. I do have an emotional connection to some of my art, they mean a lot to me and I wouldn’t part with them.
“My favourite piece is a piece called “Lock and Key.” There is a lock and a key hidden in the picture and I will only reveal where it is to the person that I pass it on to.”
“It’s great when I get to barter with my art.”
“I was once asked to do a painting of a friend’s house up in Donegal. So I said I would if they gave me the keys of the house so I could go up and stay in it for a week in August with my wife. There was another occasion when I was asked from a friend of a fella originally from County Antrim if I could reconstruct an old dwelling that he grew up in. It turned out he was a multi-millionaire who is now about 90 years of age living out in New Zealand. Sometime after I had sent the painting to New Zealand I received a letter back from his wife. She said when he first saw the picture he cried. It’s now his pride and joy, and has been placed in his study where he sits and looks at it. I find that incredible and that’s what makes me glad that I am an artist.
“I like to draw while I’m away on holidays, I find that I can relax in the good weather and just sit and draw. I remember back when I was in Milan, there was this little fountain spouting water. It wasn’t famous or of much interest to the passers-by but I thought it would make a beautiful picture. So I sat down and started to draw it when a gentleman came and asked could he join me. It turned out that he was a professional photographer from Paris and loved my art work. It’s great when you can make friends out of something that you love. “
“Through my art I have met a range of friends all over the globe, from France, to Rome, Sicily, Milan, Australia, it just goes on.”
“Most Saturdays you can find me downstairs in the Conway Mill. I sit and draw next to where my artwork is displayed and people sometimes like to look on and watch while I’m drawing. My favourite type of medium to paint with is acrylics but I can teach a range of different techniques. Wax etching is a beautiful technique which I learnt whilst I was studying art. Sometimes people stop and ask me questions about my pictures or about certain techniques and I would invite them back the following week to join me.”
“In my first ever exhibition I sold about 90% of my work.”
“It feels incredible to say that my art has been bought by people all over the world from New York, Europe and as far as Australia. The great-great niece of the famous Ned Kelly has some of my work. I have also donated work to Autism New York to help raise money for autism which is a cause I am very passionate about.
“In the future I would like to get more involved in the design aspect of art. I have been asked if my drawings could be used for prints for duvets covers and also for pottery and vases which would be great so I’m going to start looking into that. I’m also currently looking at property in Alvor in Portugal- that’s where I want to be in nine years’ time. My hope is that I can retire there and open up my own art academy. There is nothing greater than a group of artists sitting together and talking art and learning from each other. I’m also working on some illustrations for my second book that is based on events that have happened throughout my life. I think it will be a much deeper Joe than what you got to read about in my first book, ‘Rainbow over the Black Mountain’.
“My wish for the future, when I’m gone is for museums across Ireland – north and south – to have their pick of my art collection. In some of my paintings that I sold I have hidden letters inside the frame explaining the inspiration behind the painting, just to add that little extra personal touch to them. Sure you never know, in a hundred years’ time someone might find some of my letters… now wouldn’t that be a story worth telling!”
**Joe would like to offer a special thanks to Maureen Shields (Supervisor) and Cathy Hurrell (HR) and to the rest of Randox staff and employees. Following Joe’s time with us he added “You’re a great bunch of people.” **
Thank you Joe for spending the time to discuss your art work with us. We can’t wait to read your second novel and see all the wonderful images that will come with it.
For more information about our wonderful mulit-talented team here at Randox, please contact randoxpr@randox.com
We Are Randox | Randox Placement Student Meghan Semple receives Ulster Business School Excellence in Placement Award
At Randox we take pride in the high calibre of placement students we have as part of our team.
Not only do our students develop their business knowledge and acumen while they work here, they also grow personally during their year with us.
The acquisition of skills including time management, problem-solving and professional conduct goes hand-in-hand with the development of confidence, self-esteem and assertiveness.
And just as our students benefit from their times spent with us, so too do we as a modern and innovative healthcare company benefit from the fresh perspectives and forward-thinking ideas our students bring to Randox.
These students make real and valued contributions to our global organisation, and no one seems to demonstrate this better than our Business Placement Student of the Year 2015-2016, Meghan Semple.
Meghan joined Team Randox in September 2015 as a Marketing Placement Student from Ulster University Business School.
Fast forward just over a year, and Meghan has received a Highly Commended Marketing Award from The Ulster University Business School, at the Excellence in Placement Awards, as recognition of the contributions she has made to Randox!
Speaking at the Excellence in Placement Awards, she explained why.
“When I joined Randox last year I was appointed a Marketing role in the RX Series, which are Randox’s range of clinical chemistry analysers.
“For the first few weeks in my new role I spent time getting to know the brand, and making sure to gain an in-depth understanding of its key communication channels and messages.
“The RX Series was already present online in the form of a website, social media platforms, and through various mail campaigns. However, I identified the company’s potential for higher engagement and better recognition as a leading technology brand, by conducting some competitor analysis and thoroughly researching our own perception amongst our target audience.
“This resulted in an opportunity to present a content marketing strategy to Marketing Management. This included strict guidelines to ensure consistency through all graphics, language used and tone of voice. I also managed the implementation of this content marketing strategy via mail-campaigns, social platforms, web pages, insightful clinical market articles and whitepapers.
“In November 2015 my strategy was implemented, increasing online engagement by a staggering 1,200%. We also increased our web traffic by 256.91%. By quarter 3 of 2016, 100% of RX sales to distributors and end-users came from my Digital Marketing campaign.
“My work within the RX Series holistically changed the face of the brand, and for my efforts I was awarded the Pinnacle Business Placement Student of the Year award from Randox.”
Eamon Lenehan, Global Marketing Manager from Randox, commented;
“The effect Meghan had on the RX Series business is extremely impressive given the short time she was with us. Her input in to our online presence cannot be underestimated and her dedication to increasing our band awareness has had a considerable impact on the Randox brand.
Our digital presence has never been stronger, and that is thanks to Meghan. Her creation of creative and original content as well as her collaboration across all channels has truly injected a new lease of life in to the RX Series and subsequently in to the Randox brand as a whole.”
We are extremely grateful to Meghan for all her hard work during her placement year at Randox and are equally proud of her achievements at the Ulster University Business School Excellence in Placement Awards.
The positive changes seen throughout the company are testament to the value of student placements and we are proud to be a key student employer within Northern Ireland. In fact, this year, we had our largest ever intake on our placement and graduate programmes, with 71 new team members having started work with us in September.
And it’s easy to see why so many students and graduates choose to come to Randox.
Meghan continued;
“There is only so much you can learn within the walls of your university classroom. What’s most important is putting that knowledge and learning in to practice in a work environment. When I started Randox I had 2 years of university studies under my belt, but I still hadn’t decided what area of marketing I wanted to go into.
“From working in Randox I have found my passion. The team there were so supportive – their trust and encouragement is what enabled me to get so involved in the company’s digital marketing activities.
“With their guidance I was truly able to make a huge impact within the RX Series brand and I felt as much a part of the team as the full-time members of staff.
“I would highly recommend taking a placement year with Randox. There is no better way to learn how a global organisation operates than to work in one, and I am confident that my time there will help me secure a full-time job when I graduate. If I could do my year with Randox all over again, then I would!”
Congratulations Meghan, we’re delighted to have been able to join you at your awards ceremony yesterday!
For more information about the Excellence in Placement Awards, or about placement opportunities at Randox, please contact randoxpr@randox.com
Make sure to follow Randox on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay up-to-date with the hashtag #WeAreRandox for more stories about the amazing team we have here!
Pictured at the Ulster University Business School Excellence in Placement Awards are;
(L-R) Randox Global Marketing Manager Eamon Lenehan, Randox Business Placement Student of the Year Meghan Semple and Randox Human Resources Officer Jolene Jamison.
We Are Randox | Placement Student Ross Meikle chats Computers, Coding and Careers at Randox
Every year Randox offers university students exciting placements with an innovative and rapidly growing company.
These placements are specifically designed to unlock the potential of high quality candidates and provide them with the opportunity to truly make a difference to our business and our customers, and with the opportunity to gain the needed experience to pursue a career in their chosen fields.
Ross Meikle took the time to tell us all about his placement year working within the I.T. department here at Randox.
If you’re interested in a placement year with us, read on!
Hi Ross, what are you currently studying at University?
I am currently studying Computer Games Development at University of Ulster Magee.
Why did you choose to go down this career path/what attracted you to engineering?
During the first and second year of my degree I decided that Game Development wasn’t for me, and I had a much more keen interest in the Software Development modules that I had been taking. I have always been interested in computing and technology. To be in a position where I am using new technologies to design and develop software solutions appealed to me most.
How did you first hear about Randox?
I found the Randox placement through the University’s Placement searching tool, which then led to my application. After applying I contacted Randox to enquire further about the position and obtained an interview.
Why did you choose to carry out your placement year with Randox?
The description of the role given to me at my initial interview really appealed to me and the fact that I already had a little experience using some of the tools that the development use was encouraging. I was familiar with Visual Studio, and had completed one module using the programming language C# – which is the main language that the team here use. During the interview the Project Manager asked me a few technical questions and asked me to do a little coding which I felt very comfortable doing. He also talked to me about the language they use here at Randox and gave me a broad overview of what my responsibilities would entail. After leaving my interview for the placement position, I felt very positive about the whole experience and felt like I wanted to be a part of the team.
How have you found the experience so far?
My placement experience at Randox has been excellent. I completed my initial year of placement and then I was extended for an additional three months afterwards so that I could work right up until I went back to University. I am very happy that the company were prepared to continue my employment and allow me to develop my skills further. Since then I have also been brought back to do my final year project alongside Randox. I have made many friends during my time here, and I have learned significantly more during my placement than I have in any University year.
Have you been working in a supportive environment?
I have been working with the IT Software Development team during my placement. When I started the department was named Acusera 247. There isn’t a single person in this department that hasn’t helped me in some way or another, including the operations team. My team leader has always been able to provide the answer to any issue or question I have had along the way and provided those answers in an informative way that helped me to learn. My Project Manager has also supported me by providing me with all the opportunities I have had throughout my time here, including the final year project I am currently undertaking.
What do your main duties include? Have you been given much responsibility?
After the initial training phase and once I had become more settled within the team, I was made to feel like an equal and capable full time member of staff. I was working alongside other full time developers of varied experience, developing projects that were important and under tight time constraints. I was also tasked with completing a Security Project for the company’s IT department. For this I had to create an Outlook Security Add in which the IT security officer Craig requested. The add in requires all company communication mediums to be given a security level which would ensure that only users with the required access level could read emails or access the files. I have been given a lot of responsibility throughout my placement and it has definitely made me a much more capable and confident person.
What do you enjoy doing the most?
I think the highlight for me during my placement was the Web Development that I did alongside the team in the last quarter of my placement. I was working on Acusera Verify alongside the other developers to a strict deadline. I was given a list of bugs which had been identified in the website and I had to identify the issue in the code and fix it. This process was very rewarding and it made me more confident knowing that my manager/team leader trusted me to be able to provide what was asked.
Have you been met with any challenges? How have you overcame them?
When I started my placement I felt that my coding ability was not what it should be, and I felt that I would struggle whenever the work became more complicated. What I found however was that being tasked with complicated work was the best way for me to learn. It encouraged me to learn fast and it encouraged me greatly to communicate with my team and improve my understanding. I was also challenged initially with the individual assignment I was given, the Security Application for IT. It was challenging, but through hard work and a supportive and extremely knowledgeable team behind me, it became more than achievable.
How has your placement experience with Randox compare to that of your friends who have also had a placement year in engineering?
The two friends that I lived with in my first and second years in University had very different paths than myself during their placement year. One of them was unable to achieve a placement and he ended up walking away from his degree. The other enrolled on the Erasmus program and did his placement in another University in Finland. Other people that I know have been placed with companies and have had both good and bad experiences. I feel very privileged to have had my placement with Randox and comparatively I seem to have gained a lot more from it than quite a number of others.
How has Randox worked with you to ensure that you are still able to work part time at Randox since finishing your placement?
My Project Manager has assisted me in contacting the right people within the company in order to propose the project and get it started. I wrote up a Project Initialization Document which detailed the design, drawbacks, benefits and costs of the project and it was reviewed by my superiors. I was recently sent a full offer pack and given all the information I required, along with a Staff identity/Clock Card to access the building. I have also been provided with a company computer and submitted a purchase order for the components I need for the project.
What you have learnt/skills you have developed from your placement?
Over the course of the placement, I have gained skills using C#, SQL, HTML, JavaScript and have gained a little bit of experience with JSON, Ajax and MVC. Aside from technical skills, I gained a lot of personal skills, mainly improving my confidence and the ability to handle a lot of responsibility.
What have you been working on recently?
Since I returned as a part time employee, I have been working on the project I am using as my final year project, but I can’t give away too much detail on that yet.
Have you seen the Science Park? What was your first impression?
When I returned as a part time employee I was in the Randox Science Park and that is where I am located now. It is a significant change from where I was previously and I am both impressed by it and very comfortable here. The working environment that we have now feels much more professional. We have ready access to facilities we didn’t have before including dedicated storage areas, a build room for the connects and access to meeting rooms with interactive technologies – it really is a first class facility. I am sure it has and will continue to improve the quality of the work produced here.
What was the highlight of your placement year with Randox? Do you have a favourite memory?
There have been a lot of great experiences throughout my placement year, but the memory that stands out most was my last day. The team set up a lunch for me and all said their goodbyes. My Project Manager then gave me a conditional Job offer which is what I had wanted most all along. It summarised the year for me and ended things on a very positive note.
We are delighted that Ross enjoyed his placement with Randox and we wish him the best of luck for his upcoming dissertation project!
For more information on our student placement or graduate programme please contact Randox HR team or check out our website Randox Careers.
