What is it like being a graduate in ABB? Here are some short biographies of people who have done what you are considering. Read on and discover how it has worked for them.
Max Mistry
Education: BSc (Hons) Maths and Physics Dual Honours, MSc (Eng) control systems engineering - University of Sheffield
Diploma in Management - Henley Management College
Max began her career with ABB working on an engineering project to upgrade a pharmaceutical plant in Ireland. She then worked in a variety of areas, from sales to business planning. In these roles she was involved in developing a business incentive package for an ammonium nitrate plant and in recommending ways of improving existing business activities.
She feels getting to understand the whole organisation and learning to take responsibility have been vital to her progress.
She says, “I've tried my hand at engineering, finance, processes, sales, business planning, change implementation and now I manage a team as the head of supply chain at ABB’s St Neots site - all in the space of five years!
"And I still have plenty of challenges ahead. I’m about to build on my diploma in management to complete my MBA at The Henley Management College. This has been made possible by the personal and financial support I have received within ABB."
Adam Reeve
Education MEng - University of Sheffield, control systems engineering.
Since joining the ABB Graduate scheme in September 2003 Adam has worked on three different projects. These include the development of control systems for a Libyan oil field, a Caspian Sea oil platform and a container tracking system for a nuclear waste reprocessing plant.
As well as his involvement in varied projects he has been around a number of ABB sites, getting to know the company and mixing with other graduates and senior company managers.
His training and development has ranged from presentation skills instruction to getting to grips with the IEC 61508 standard which deals with the safety of electronic instrument systems.
Adam says, “The work has been challenging, varied and interesting. It’s great that I can apply and broaden the technical skills gained at university while working on real life projects.”
Adam is currently working toward chartered status with the support of mentor within the company.
Darren Redford
Education: MEng Salford University
Darren joined ABB as a graduate in September 2002. However, this was by no means his first experience of the world of work. In a sense it could be said by joining ABB he was embarking on his second career having worked for a small manufacturing company for five years before taking up a place at university as a mature student.
In just two years with ABB, having gained an honours degree, Darren has packed in even more experience. He began with ABB Engineering Services, the consultancy arm of the company, working in project management in a variety of engineering, development and management roles.
One year on he moved over to ABB Automation Technologies to indulge his passion for robotics engineering and automation. He has been a proposals engineer preparing robotic solutions for customers such as Honda and Jaguar.
The next step has been out of the UK on a 12 month assignment to ABB in Barcelona, Spain. In this hands-on role he has certainly been getting around visiting customers in Italy, Poland and Hungary, in a few short weeks. Darren has been busy programming and commissioning robotic press lines.
Darren enjoys the variety and opportunity he finds in the world of ABB and wonders where else he might have had the scope for working in different technologies, industries and countries.
Paul Dickens
Education: MEng (Hons), UMIST, Chemical engineering with industrial experience
Paul began his career with ABB working on a major project – replacing a 20 year old control system with a modern state-of-the art system. He found himself immersed from the outset in every aspect of project work; system design, application engineering, testing, commissioning and project management.
He has gained a great deal of experience with customers and technologies including demonstrating working systems and showing how they can benefit a customer’s businesses.
He says, “ABB has offered me much more experience than I expected in a graduate position. I was working on a major chemical project on my first day.”
Paul has become deeply involved in ABB, including its social side, and has been picked as one of the key engineers on an important UK project using the latest ABB control system.