Working in safety is far from dull for Rob Beggs, our fully-fledged Health and Safety Advisor at Thorpe Park Resort. So how did he land a job that combines his passion for water rescue with keeping guests safe in our attractions? Or come to that, managing Zombies at the top of a rollercoaster?
Rob’s journey actually started not at Merlin but with their competitor Disney in the States. He then took the skills he gathered as a Rides Operator to LEGOLAND Windsor and through training, as well as hands on experience, swiftly rose to the level of Team Leader.
Rob said, “I quickly realised how much I loved it here, and even after taking a few years’ break in the hotel industry, it didn’t take much to coax me back to the world of Merlin. My next step was to become a hotel Leisure Manager at Chessington World of Adventures where my Search and Rescue skills were directly relevant to Chessington’s Short Breaks Destination with their new Splash Pool.”
Rob realised that he had a calling for Health and Safety, so diligently self-funded his own NEBOSH qualification. This soon propelled him into Thorpe Park Resort’s Health and Safety Team, with a short stint as Assistant Park Operations Manager thrown in en-route.
Rob’s story shows that it really is possible to find that dream job at Merlin. We are so proud to benefit from his skills in water rescue and his work with Surrey’s Swiftwater Rescue Team, which has helped to make Merlin’s Water Rides a safer place.
For more information about Merlin’s Health, Safety and Security, please visit www.protectingthemagic.com.