Project Engineer - Manufacturing

A Project Engineer within the Manufacturing discusses what first prompted him into the world of engineering and what a typical day looks like for him in KONE

Q.  What made you choose engineering as a career?
A.  I like being the person with the answers and the know-how. I enjoy solving complex problems using pre-defined methods or adapting these methods to suit the environment / goal.

Q.  What are the different aspects of your job?
A.  A My job is 70% office based and 30% site work. Different aspects are completing CAD (Computer Assisted Drawings) for the builder and our installation teams to use, ensuring the lift complies with local building regulations. This is done by reading through the client's tender and spending time looking over their drawings, keeping an eye out for anything on their drawings which could be constituted as either a hazard or something which could potentially harm the installation process. I also look after the scheduling of when the work will commence.

Q.  Describe your typical day?
A.  As a project engineer, I’m always moving from job to job. A typical day for me could begin with knees deep in concrete, inspecting the work that has been carried out on site. Then, back at the office I would begin planning our phase of construction. This includes creating detailed drawings to accurately depict the required construction on site. I deal with builders, architects and structural engineers to ensure a smooth transition during our final handover.

Q.  Is there a constant need to upskill in your particular area?
A.  There will always be a need to upskill in an engineering environment. As engineers, it’s our responsibility to be at the forefront of all technological advancements and the only way to take the lead is to use all new available tools. 

Q.  If so, how do you upskill?
A.   For myself, I’ve recently begun learning Revit -BIM (Building information Modeling), but in the early days of my career, I worked full-time, completing college courses part-time in the afternoon.

Q.  Are you supported by your employers in this?
A.  My employers are running in-house BIM training. As KONE is a very large international company, it means they employ many different people with many different skills. They utilize our collective knowledge to support one another.

Q.  Engineering took a huge hit during the recession what do you think can be done to future-proof your industry / sector?   
A.   An LPG (Liquefied petroleum gas) plant, more wind / hydro-electrical development stations to not only secure or energy resources but to create more engineer jobs with constant demand. More engineers need to move out of the construction industry as this is a volatile industry, heavily dependent on the economy.