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28.08.2026

When you join a factory as a General Operator, it can be easy to think of the role as simply a starting job. But for many people at Ceramicx, it has been the starting point for something more.

Over the years, people who began as General Operators have progressed into senior operator, supervisory, quality, production planning and management roles. Some have taken opportunities they didn't expect, while others have simply kept learning, taking on new responsibilities and putting themselves forward.

There is no single career path. And, as these stories show, being a General Operator is certainly not the end of the line.

Brikena Kotarja – Initiative & Progression

Brikena first joined Ceramicx while still at school, working during her 5th Year summer before taking on Saturday and afternoon shifts during 6th Year in ceramic production.

In June 2022, she moved into full-time work in Quality and Packing on the morning shift. She also learned additional testing skills in the Quality area, allowing her to provide cover when her supervisor was on annual leave.

By 2025, Brikena felt ready to take on more responsibility and put herself forward for the opportunity. Her initiative, hard work and attention to detail led to her promotion to Senior Operator — a role she had worked towards by continually developing her skills.

Four years on, Brikena never expected that she would still be at Ceramicx, let alone working as a Senior Operator.

Her journey is a great example of how learning different areas of the factory, taking on additional responsibility and being willing to put yourself forward can open the door to new opportunities and progression.

Fergal O'Connor – From Watchmaking to Quality

Fergal joined Ceramicx in 2020 on the afternoon shift, initially working in Ceramic Production. He went on to gain experience across several areas, including coiling, where he became the sole coiler on the afternoon shift.

In 2025, an opportunity arose to join the Quality team. With the department busy, Fergal was identified as a strong internal candidate — and his previous experience as a watchmaker proved particularly valuable.

Watchmaking had given Fergal a strong eye for detail, a mechanical mindset and an appreciation for precision and quality. Skills that had been developed in a completely different industry transferred naturally into his new role at Ceramicx.

When Fergal first joined Ceramicx, he had decided to move away from watchmaking and never expected that four years later he would still be here, having moved from production into an office-based role.

Today, he continues to develop his skills, with plans to complete training to become an ISO Auditor next year.

Fergal’s story is a great example of how the experience you bring with you can open unexpected doors — and how skills developed in one industry can find a new purpose in another.

Inga Fridenberga – Building Expertise Over Time

Inga first worked at Ceramicx during the 2000's and 2010's. In more recent times she returned in 2021 as a General Operator, working in Quartz production. In 2023, her experience and knowledge were recognised with a promotion to Senior Operator.

In 2024, Inga was given the opportunity to broaden her experience by joining the office team in Quality Administration. For several months, she collected data from production which helped provide a clearer picture of quality performance across production and enabled the Quality team to stay up to date with production output.

Today, Inga brings both sides of her experience together, working in administration each morning before returning to production for the remainder of the day.

Her career is a great example of how progression isn’t always about moving away from production. It can be about building on the skills, knowledge and experience you already have — and finding new ways to put them to use.

Bartosh Torba – From Summer Work to Senior Operator

Bartosh's Ceramicx story began with Saturday work and summer employment while he was still at school.

He worked during the Easter holidays and summer of 2021 continuing with Saturdays summer of 2022 before joining the company full-time in 2023. He gained experience in quartz, wiring, packing and ceramic before moving into ceramic casting in particular.

His knowledge, performance and willingness to learn stood out when a Senior Operator position became available. Recommended by his supervisor and colleagues, Bartosh was promoted in 2026, becoming the factory’s newest Senior Operator.

Bartosh didn't expect to still be at Ceramicx several years after his first summer job. He remains interested in becoming a mechanic and may return to that ambition someday.

His journey is a reminder that a summer job doesn't necessarily stay a summer job. It can become the beginning of a career you never expected.

Sam Fuller – Hard Work, Progression and Development

Sam joined Ceramicx in 2022, initially spending a few weeks in the Warehouse before deciding it wasn’t for him. He then moved into Ceramic Production, where he quickly found his place. His hard work and commitment saw him progress to Senior Operator in December 2023.

Before joining Ceramicx, Sam spent a year in Youthreach after leaving school, followed by three years working in a garage. This hands-on experience gave him a strong practical foundation that he has continued to develop throughout his time with the company.

Today, Sam is responsible for his own cell, consisting of two pressure-casting machines and a large team. For him, progression comes down to how much you put into the job. Even when work can be repetitive, he believes you have to take an interest, understand the process and take the opportunities to learn.

When Sam started, Ceramicx was developing and refining its pressure-casting processes. He learned the timings, processes and products inside out, working closely with the Engineering team and other Senior Operators to improve processes and increase the efficiency of pressure casting.

Sam also believes there is more flexibility and opportunity in production than people might expect. When someone is absent, you can learn their role, while changing processes and redesigned products mean there is always something new to learn.

He believes people don’t always realise the important role production employees can play in improvement. Those working closest to the process have valuable knowledge and ideas that can help shape how the work is done.

Sam’s journey from joining Ceramicx in 2022 to leading his own cell shows what can be achieved through hard work, experience and a willingness to learn. For him, progression is not just about moving into a new role — it’s about developing the knowledge and skills to make a real difference.

Stanislav Piscako – From General Operator to Quality Manager

Perhaps the clearest example of where a career at Ceramicx can lead is Stanislav Piscako.

Originally from Latvia, Stas moved to Ireland after leaving school and worked in various jobs before joining Ceramicx in 2014 as a General Operator.

He started in ceramic, working on the kiln and closely with the Production Manager. His role gave him an insight into a huge part of the production process.

Stas also helped set up the first afternoon shift and played an important role in developing quality standards within production.

In 2017, he became a dedicated Quality Technician, while also completing a Quality Management Degree. In 2020, he progressed to Quality Supervisor. Following the departure of the Quality Manager in early 2022 he became the Quality & Production Supervisor. In 2024 he became Quality Manager.

His progression from General Operator to Quality Manager demonstrates just how far learning, experience and taking on responsibility can lead.

Today, Stas continues to develop his expertise and is working towards gaining ISO 14001 for Environmental Management Systems.

Laila O’Driscoll – A Career That Took a Different Direction

Laila’s first experience of Ceramicx came in 2003, when she spent two weeks working in Wiring. She returned in 2005, moving into Quartz production, before taking maternity leave in early 2006.

When Laila returned to Ceramicx in 2017, she joined the afternoon shift before moving to mornings, where she worked in Packing and Testing. She left again in 2019, using the time away to further her education and develop her skills.

In 2021, a Production Administrator position became available. Laila decided to apply and was successful, beginning a new chapter in her career at Ceramicx.

The role initially focused on scheduling and production administration, but as her knowledge and experience developed, so too did her responsibilities. In 2024, she was promoted to Master Production Scheduler, taking on an important role in coordinating production activities and ensuring schedules run efficiently and effectively. As part of her role, she is also a member of the Operational Management Team, providing her with the opportunity to contribute to wider business decisions, operational planning, and the continued development of the organisation.

Laila’s journey demonstrates that career progression can take many different paths. The skills, knowledge and experience gained on the factory floor can provide a strong foundation for moving into other areas of the business and taking on new challenges.

Shay Davitt – Developing a New Process

Shay joined Ceramicx in 2020 as a General Operator in Ceramic.

Around the same time, Pressure Casting was introduced, and Shay became the first caster to work in the new area. He quickly developed a strong knowledge of the pressure-casting machines and processes. His growing expertise led to his promotion to Senior Operator in 2021.

Being involved in the development of the Pressure Casting process from its early stages is a unique achievement and one that Shay can be proud of. His hands-on experience helped him build a valuable understanding of the process while contributing to the growth of a new area of production.

In 2022, Shay progressed again, taking on the role of Supervisor. He became responsible for the full Pressure Casting area, overseeing a team of casters and wirers and supporting the day-to-day operation of the area.

When Shay joined Ceramicx, he didn’t have any particular expectations about career progression. What he found was a workplace offering a good combination of people, pay and hours, along with a culture built around mutual respect and continuous improvement.

His journey demonstrates how opportunities can emerge from being willing to take on something new — and how building knowledge, experience and responsibility along the way can lead to meaningful career progression.

Faye O'Connor – Multiskilled and Always Learning

Faye joined Ceramicx in 2022 after hearing about the company through a friend. She began in Quartz before moving into Ceramic and becoming a Senior Operator in 2023. Since then, Faye has become one of the most multiskilled people on the factory floor, developing the ability to work across almost every area of production.

Faye was also one of the first General Operators to work in Pressure Casting when the process was being established. She was part of the team involved in testing and developing the new process, gaining valuable experience and contributing to the development of an important new area of production.

In late 2023, Faye was given the opportunity to try something different and moved into Quality Control. After several months, however, she realised that Quality wasn’t the right fit for her. Rather than continuing along a career path that didn’t feel right, Faye made the decision to return to her previous position as Senior Operator.

That decision is an important part of progression too. Moving forward doesn’t always mean moving upwards.

Faye is also looking towards her next challenge outside of work. She is hoping to return to college part-time to pursue a Master’s degree while continuing to work at Ceramicx.

Colette O’Regan – Flexibility and Leadership

Colette joined Ceramicx in 2020, starting on the afternoon shift in Ceramic. When the night shift was introduced, she moved across and became a Senior Operator, taking on additional responsibility within the team. When the night shift was later restructured, she returned to afternoons and continued in her Senior Operator role, supporting a team of around 18 people.

Colette mainly works in Ceramic but regularly supports other areas of the factory, providing cover and helping wherever she is needed. She enjoys the variety this brings and works closely with the Shift Supervisor to help coordinate the team and keep the shift running smoothly.

Having worked in a factory previously, Colette knew she enjoyed the environment. Although she had completed a course in Office Administration, she wanted to return to factory work.

Interestingly, Colette had been aware of Ceramicx since moving to the area in 2017. Shortly after arriving, someone even knocked on her door asking for directions to the factory while delivering food to celebrate the opening of the new factory extension. Little did she know at the time, but perhaps her career at Ceramicx was already being predicted back in 2017.

Colette’s journey shows how flexibility, experience and a willingness to support others can lead to progression and leadership opportunities.

Selim Mhadhbi - From Machinist to Supervisor

Selim joined Ceramicx in 2022 as an Engineering Machinist. His role involved operating both manual and CNC lathes, as well as mould making.

In 2023, following the integration of employees from the night shift to the afternoon shift, Selim was promoted to Afternoon Shift Supervisor. The team had subsequently expanded, and Salim was the perfect candidate for this role.

Selim moved from Tunisia to Ireland to join Ceramicx at a time when the company was experiencing challenges in recruiting skilled machinists. His experience and technical expertise closely matched the requirements of the business. making him a valuable addition to the engineering team.

Engineering Manager Moetez Brinis had previously worked with Selim and understood the skills and knowledge he could bring to Ceramicx. Selim’s career progression from Engineering Machinist to Afternoon Shift Supervisor highlights the opportunities available for employees to take on greater responsibility and progress within the company.

Your starting point isn't your destination

Being a General Operator can give you the opportunity to learn different processes, understand how the factory works, build relationships with colleagues and discover what you're good at.

There isn't a single route, and there isn't a fixed timeline.

Your first role at Ceramicx is just that — your first role. It doesn't have to be your last.