When I finished university, I decided against the traditional route of applying for a graduate scheme or a position in a large company. I felt my time would be better suited to applying to emerging and niche companies, where there are a host of unique opportunities for graduates but which are often overlooked when applying for a first job. I felt the correct position for me would be something flexible, where I could apply my mechanical engineering expertise, and preferably within an expanding company.
I signed up with a couple of recruitment agencies and researched career opportunities on the internet, in newspapers and through individual company websites. Although I hail from the north-west, I had decided that to secure my first position I would work almost anywhere in the UK.
During my job search, I spotted an online advertisement for the position of an applications engineer with Manchester-based industrial process tomography firm, Industrial Tomography Systems.
The idea of a career with what I discovered to be a growing company, where I could be thrown in at the deep end and grow with the role, appealed to me immensely and presented a whole raft of interesting personal and professional challenges. I felt that working at ITS would offer the opportunity to be involved with the entire project rather than being confined to a comparatively narrow remit.
When I applied, the commercialisation of the technology was still in its infancy – and little had been written about it except in academic papers – so I had to do some extensive online research before replying to the ad to ensure that I submitted the best application possible. I knew the basics – that industrial process tomography is a technology that creates images of industrial processes in challenging places, such as an oil pipeline, a vessel or a hazardous environment – but I discovered a lot more through my research, which was beneficial when it came to both my application and interview.
The application process consisted of two interviews – the first with ITS CEO Ken Primrose and the second with the two engineers I would be working alongside.
Just a couple of weeks after my second interview, I got a phone call informing me that I had been successful in my application and I started the role just a few weeks later.
In the year I have been at ITS, I have travelled across six continents, spreading the word on industrial process tomography and have built up a wealth of knowledge of the new technology. No two days are the same, especially as my work involves the development of tomography solutions for industries ranging from consumer packaged goods, chemicals, oil and petroleum, and mining and I have found that my engineering degree has come in extremely useful when discussing production processes with clients.
A large part of my work involves liaison with senior academics at universities and international research institutes in the north-west and also on the other side of the world. At first it was a little daunting that the sort of academics I looked up to at university were now looking to me to enlighten them on the technology. However, I now find the troubleshooting and advisory aspects of my position very rewarding and take it in my stride.
I would say to any new engineering graduate that it was well worth doing a masters and identifying an emerging field in which I could apply my engineering knowledge, use my initiative and employ my interpersonal skills. At this relatively early stage in my career I am already consulted on important decisions as there is no such thing as an old hand in an emerging field. Undoubtedly there are senior people in the company who know more than me but I am fully equipped to deal with client requests and specifications.
I'm not sure what my dream job would have been but international travel and a degree of autonomy would certainly have ticked the boxes, together with a dynamic environment where there isn't a glass ceiling.
We are world leaders in our field so I have found myself in a privileged position, which I believe justifies taking a step away from graduate entry schemes and instead identifying a job that was more suited to my career aspirations and personal goals.
Many of my fellow graduates too are beginning to seek out exciting opportunities in companies making headway in commercialising new technologies – and I very much recommend it.
Nick Barrett is an applications engineer for Industrial Tomography Systems. He holds a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Nottingham University.
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