More than nuts and bolts
Successful
engineers today are not just technically competent, they are also
business savvy
A career in engineering- especially in the aerospace
industry - is diverse and rewarding. PHOTO: BLOOMBERG
WHAT comes to your mind when you think of engineers? In my
father's day, there was a generalisation that all engineers carried
a slide rule.
Early on in my career, calculators were popular
items to have on hand. Whatever comes to your mind first probably
demonstrate a common misconception about engineers.
The fact is that engineers are dynamic individuals
who are also strong leaders, communicators and business people. Not
only are they required to design and develop the latest innovative
technologies, they are also able to understand what their customers
need and manage a product through completion for successful
delivery.
Business acumen competency is increasingly,
important for engineers. It has become imperative for an engineer
to be able to understand how a business works as it helps improve
his critical thinking and decision-making skills that can then
positively impact the business.
Leading a large department of engineers in the
aerospace industry, I consistently tell my team that I would like
for them to be intellectually curious about how the business works,
how the organisation makes money, and how their decisions impact
the company's ability to stay successful and competitive.
Having strong and dedicated engineers who encompass
these characteristics are very important for an aerospace company
like Honeywell. It helps to drive leadership in innovation and the
delivery of technically rich products and services to customers,
which ultimately makes flying safer, more efficient and
comfortable.
During my 30 years at Honeywell, I was provided the
opportunity to learn these skills through multiple job assignments
throughout the organisation in engineering, supply chain, marketing
and product management.
These roles allowed me to improve my understanding
of how the company works, and helped develop my leadership and
communication skills by working with mentors, engaging with
international teams, speaking to customers and suppliers, and
presenting at various forums and meetings.
When companies hire new aerospace engineers, they
not only consider good performance in their engineering core course
work but also their work experiences, personal interest and
secondary course work in business and project management.
These additional accomplishment demonstrate an
individual's ability to take on leadership and customer interfacing
roles. As the aerospace industry evolves and becomes more
competitive, the expectations of engineers have also become more
comprehensive.
Engineers, in turn, should aspire to work in
companies that invest in developing their skill through
professional development courses, mentorship programmes, higher
education assistance but most importantly through on-the-job
assignments and training.
Companies that take an active interest in providing
the next generation of engineers with opportunities to learn from
award winning engineers who helped shape their industry, from
colleagues and customer around the globe and through worldclass
projects that enable them to expand their horizons, will always be
employers of choice.
Becoming a successful aerospace engineer is hard
work. It takes significant effort and commitment to remain focused
on technologies that require years to enter into service.
However, there is nothing more gratifying than
walking through the production line and seeing products being built
and shipped and knowing that you have contributed years to their
success and then seeing these products on a customer's aircraft
performing the job that you designed them for.
Next time, when you think of an engineer, remember
that be or she may not necessarily carry a pocket protector and
they know more than just how to design and build complex
components.
Engineers are a diverse group of business people
who solve problems and deliver value to the end-user. In addition,
they excel not just at work but also in other pursuits.
A career in engineering - especially in the
aerospace industry - is diverse and rewarding, and it will enrich
your skills in design and business for a lifetime.
Article by Ron Rich director, Auxiliary Power Systems (APU),
Honeywell Aerospace.
Recruit, The Straits Times, Tuesday, July 15, 2014, Pg C19