FKI graduates

• travel to the USA, Canada, Europe and China
• work on a variety of projects
• become chartered engineers
• undertake an MBA.

Name: Neal Kierans
Age: 24
Job title: Graduate Trainee
University attended: Dublin City University & Dublin Institute of Technology
Degree obtained: BEng in Mechatronics and MEng in Advanced Engineering

I joined FKI after I completed my master’s. I had already worked in Ireland and Austria on work experience, but was still unsure what area of engineering I wanted to specialise in. The FKI grad scheme offered various engineering roles in diverse locations that would help me discover my ideal role in engineering.

On the grad scheme I was exposed to various businesses practices and engineering disciplines. From a turbogenerator manufacturing plant to a steel wire rope factory in China, a postage and packaging design sortation office in the USA to a product sortation design office in the UK. Each business is different so I faced new challenges every six months and had to integrate very quickly to get involved and be productive.

I gained an abundance of experience over the two years. Every work culture was so different and I had to adapt to my surroundings. Coming from Ireland, I felt I was doing four overseas placements rather than two. While communication was easy in the UK and USA, I had no friends or family to rely on, so I learned how to integrate and developed my own personal confidence to survive in the real world independently.

Going to China on my own offered the biggest challenge of my life and produced the biggest rewards on so many levels. It was extremely intimidating beforehand, I was the first graduate to go, I didn’t know the language, and I had no friends or family to take comfort in from the culture shock... The situation made me determined to make the most of the placement and helped me embrace China and its rich culture. When I left I felt I was leaving a second home and a second family behind.

The company took great care of me and helped me settle. I was included in many nights out and always had an amazing time. Tianjin is a non-westernized city; very few spoke English so I needed to learn Mandarin quickly to be able to survive. The translator helped me at the start, but by the end I could communicate with my colleagues in Mandarin when he was unavailable. I met so many people and found myself in bizarre places eating incredible food made from the most unlikely ingredients!

The four placements improved my confidence both professionally and personally. I was constantly challenged, which is the key feature of the scheme. I’ve learned it’s the best way to develop skills and discover natural abilities I never knew that existed. The scheme has helped me envision what type of career in engineering would suit me best. The FKI grad scheme has the system in place to help me realise my goals and ambitions for the future.