Meet the Team: Mackenzie James

Mackenzie James came to materials science by a practical route. Growing up in Neston and studying construction, engineering, and PE at school, his early career took him into the construction industry, working across two roles before moving into materials sales. It was a practical background, but not one that pointed obviously towards a laboratory.

With a clear engineering foundation from his studies and an ambition to develop further, Mackenzie began looking for an apprenticeship that would allow him to build on that grounding in a more technical direction. After a series of interviews, he joined The Lab at Brookes Bell as a Materials Laboratory Technician Apprentice.

The work was unlike anything he had encountered before. As part of Brookes Bell's materials team, Mackenzie works on the analysis of physical samples submitted as part of technical investigations. The process is exacting. Samples are cut into precise sections, mounted in resin, and then ground and polished to a mirror finish before examination under a microscope. What that examination reveals depends on the case: corrosion, material defects, fatigue, or other indicators of how and why a component has behaved the way it has.

"The level of precision involved was something I did not expect," he says. "You do not realise how much depth you can go into a small piece of metal until you are working at that scale."

The day-to-day work varies considerably. Sample preparation sits alongside laboratory testing, microscopy, and occasional travel to support investigations further afield. That breadth, Mackenzie notes, is one of the more valuable aspects of the role. Working within a multidisciplinary environment means that expertise across engineering, metallurgy, and inspection is easily accessible, and questions rarely go unanswered for long. "If I want to know something or I am struggling with a problem, there is always someone in the lab or the wider Liverpool office to speak to," he says.

Since joining, Mackenzie has settled quickly into the work and the environment around him. Achieving his Level 3 qualification is the immediate goal, but his ambitions extend further.

"I am looking to progress as far as I can within the company," he says, "and to continue developing my understanding of the work as I go."

Explore The Lab’s full range of materials testing services here.