Darren obtained his Diploma after completing the practical portion of his training working in the Engineering Services Department of a large wine co-operative in Stellenbosch, South Africa. The experience he gained here included technical projects from wine cellar refrigeration to bottling halls.

Following completion of his Engineering Degree he worked as the plant engineer for a scrap steel foundry, producing high carbon billet steel. Darren embraced a wide range of engineering challenges encompassing inductive furnaces, cranes, specialised dust extraction plants and continuous casting machines; key components of this heavy industry environment.

Darren moved to Alstom John Thompson where he designed industrial water tube boilers. He was responsible for specifying both practical and theoretical integrated services and ancillary equipment for boilers. He was also involved in the detailed design of a variety of projects ranging from fuel reticulation systems to complete piping systems, all of which had to comply with the relevant BS/EN/ASME codes.

Following his move to the United Kingdom in 2006, he brought his wealth of engineering experience to Hawkins. He is based in the Reigate office where he investigates fires, explosions and engineering incidents.