Not too ambitious
“I got in touch with ICT Group through LinkedIn and applied for the Service Engineer position. At first, I thought that I was aiming far too high with ICT Group. They asked a lot of questions during the job interview, about working with large numbers of PLCs in large projects, for instance.
During the second interview, we talked about what a normal day at ICT Group would look like. One of my future co-workers described it, and then I could picture myself sitting there. It sounded like a challenge to me, but after the interview, I was confident that I could do it. It all went really fast after that. I was hired and started in my current position. After half a year, I already felt totally at home.“
Very professional
So now Maik has been working for the Managed Services department for over 1.5 years. “I was accepted into the group from the start. Nobody gave me a hard time and they were all ready to answer my questions. There is a very pleasant and open working atmosphere. Professionally, I also feel more at home at ICT Group. Everything is more professional here. I write plans now, I make technical designs, and everything is thought through. You just feel that there is a lot of knowledge, of the client domains as well. You understand the client's production process so you can meet their demands more accurately.”
Instructive
Maik is still working for his first client. “I was a bit nervous in the beginning. You bring certain knowledge from your previous job, but everything is different here, because you use other technology and systems. That takes some time getting used to. At the same time, it is very instructive and good for your professional and personal development. I also learned a lot of new stuff about systems such as PCS7 and Siemens S7. I followed several courses, for personal growth as well. And I finished the project leader training that I already started in my previous job.”
“You have to be open to everything, not be afraid and grab everything with both hands.”
Versatile
As a Service Engineer for ICT Group, you maintain various client contacts. ”I have a very versatile job thanks to the variety of clients, the assignments that I do, and the technology I use. What I like is that there is enough work and I can determine how I divide my time. For instance, I started a project team with a client to go through a long list of improvement points one by one. Our goal is to finish one point every week. That client's shop-floor workers received that initiative with a lot of enthusiasm. They called me just to say ‘this is going great!’ That makes me proud.”
Continued growth
ICT Group offers many growth opportunities. ”Right now, I am a junior Service Engineer, but by growing in my current position, I aim to make senior Service Engineer some day. And then, my next goal will be a management position. I want to expand my PCS7 knowledge and follow a training for that. It does not come cheap, but ICT Group is happy to invest in me and are already doing so. That would not have happened in my previous job. So one piece of advice to anyone who is working for an automation company, big or small: do not be scared to apply. If you like clients and technology, ICT Group will be a fantastic employer.”