Everyone was quiet and we knew from that moment nothing was going to be the same
Jason Bailey was there as Tata shut down its final blast furnace in Port Talbot and faced starting life again
Jason Bailey pictured at work in the Port Talbot steelworks
(Image: Jason Bailey )
It was the moment which changed the lives of steelworkers in Wales for good. The final blast furnace and other heavy end facilities at Port Talbot's Tata steelworks shut down on Monday, September 30 triggering 1,900 job losses at the plant and more at its UK operations, including other Welsh sites.
Among the workers gathered there on the final day was Jason Bailey. He was based in the primary steel boss plant, where he was an operator and hot metal pourer.
"It was emotional that day. Everyone was quiet, because we knew from that moment on that nothing was going to be the same," the 42-year-old, from Neath, explained. You can read more about the historic day it closed here.
"It was historical to see that the last traditional steel making we had was going. It was a whole bunch of emotions, the whole place changed. There were people there who were panicked, and people there who had their heads in the sand.
"There was a guy I worked with who was 62, and he had his hands on his head and he'd be saying 'I'm done. What am I supposed to do? I've got to work until pension age, who's going to take me on at this age?'
Jason Bailey was an operator and hot metal pourer at Tata Steel in Port Talbot
(Image: Jason Bailey )
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"Personally, I was gutted, because it took me four years to get into the place, and it was somewhere from a child, that was the sort of thing I wanted to do.
"There were days where spirits would be up, and other times then where people would be very worried. Any bit of news played a huge part on how we lived our lives inside and out.
"We didn't hear a lot, and we'd hear the most of it through the news first. Everytime we'd be coming into work and see the news crews outside, you'd think, oh no, something has happened. It would be that way, really."
Mr Bailey explained that it "felt like every other month" that he and his colleagues were being pulled in to a meeting or an interview.
Jason said redundancy was 'hard to accept' in the job he loved
(Image: Jason Bailey )
He said: "They would basically be saying that 'we're not saying you have been selected for redundancy, but your job isn't certain'.
"Walking into one of those things, you'd be hoping for someone to say 'don't worry, you're going in with the electric arc project', but that was only given to a very select few. The full Boss plant was 660 workers, and I think they kept on about 80. Everyone knew the odds were against them.
"It was hard to accept when you enjoy the job, especially for those who had been there all of their lives, because they knew nothing else. There was some asking themselves 'what can I give to the outside world?'"
Mr Bailey explained that when he first learnt of the looming job losses at Tata, he took a pre-emptive decision to apply for to study for a BSc in healthcare science (medical engineering) at Swansea University.
Medical engineering is a hands-on role which involves testing and maintaining the essential devices used in all types of patient treatment, from anaesthesia in operating theatres to life support in critical care units.
"I didn't know the course existed, but when I saw it, I thought, it wouldn't harm to apply," he said.
The evening that Port Talbot's heavy end was closed
(Image: John Myers )
"I was lucky enough to be awarded a place in the course starting in September, which coincided with the closure.
"I'm just about finishing my first year now. I have enjoyed the challenge, it is something different compared to just doing your job. At the beginning I was out of my comfort zone, but I'm a firm believer of having a wider knowledge of things and it is great the breadth the course is providing."
Mr Bailey hoped that his path could provide an inspiration to other former steelworkers about a new route they could follow.
The dad-of-three said: "It is about trying to build a bridge of communication so that at least then the boys can have that option.
"I know the skills that those boys have got can be transferable, they can be applied to other things. It's just about that awareness really. Boys have been at the steelworks, and have been there for years, but what they have achieved there - health and safety, initiative, out of the box thinking, that can be applied anywhere, and the NHS, and other companies, can benefit from those skills."
Mr Bailey now studies at Swansea University
(Image: Swansea University )
Senior lecturer and programme director for medical engineering, Andrew Morris, added that the team at the university is keen to recruit applicants who have studied an engineering course and staff at Tata Steel fit the criteria.
He said: 'We have seen Jason transition, with relative ease, applying engineering principles that he previously used in the steelworks to the healthcare setting. Dealing with medical equipment in a hospital is an important function of the entire organisation and the levels of safety and risk have parallels when comparing Tata to the NHS.'
He's taking part in a three-year BSc in healthcare science (medical engineering) course
(Image: Swansea University )
Head of healthcare science, associate professor Dr Barry Bardsley, added that the healthcare sciences programmes are commissioned to help meet the workforce needs in Wales.
He said: 'Supporting applicants who move to an NHS training programme is a vital part of our strategy to facilitate meeting these needs. We welcome applicants who have science or engineering work experience, and there are both part-time and full-time options available.
'Jason is clearly using his years of experience in an engineering setting to develop his skillset to apply these principles to NHS medical equipment.'
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All Tata steelworkers are currently being offered free career advice through LHH with access to guidance and resources to help them transition to the next stage of their career. Steelworkers can connect with Louise Moffat, Terry Cowburn or Zoe Hodgkinson , based in LHH's outplacement centre in Port Talbot. Call 07384 116702 or email tsuk@lhh.com
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