BEng in Mechanical Engineering (University of Bristol, UK)
I graduated with an Engineering degree but had very little industrial experience, and found the IMI Global Graduate Development programme (GGD) to be perfect for me. The rotational scheme allows me to develop a sense of commercial awareness and business acumen, whilst being within a familiar engineering environment. The GGD programme was the logical next step for me in my engineering education and career progression.
My first placement was at IMI HQ, in Birmingham, as a Supply Chain Analyst in the Group Supply Chain team. Direct and indirect procurement responsibilities, supplier negotiations and contract management were the key responsibilities that developed me outside of my comfort zone. I learnt about managing internal and external stakeholders, making critical decisions and taking calculated risk. With the guidance of my manager I was able to identify my strengths and areas for development and work on them.
I am currently in my second placement at TA Heimeier, in Germany, as a Project Manager in Production and Operations where I lead a project on the assembly line. This is a great opportunity for me to apply what I have learnt from my previous placement, and of course make some new mistakes! Being in operations gives me a different perspective of the business; I have different incentives and different targets. I have learnt a lot, not just from the change in responsibility, but also from a different work culture.
What I like about the GGD programme is that my managers and colleagues trust me enough to let me handle things on my own, but are still there to support me when things get tough. I also like the fact that my work and responsibilities are not strictly defined and therefore I can work beyond the scope of my assigned project by using my initiative. The GGD programme has been around for a long time within IMI, and it is well respected amongst the businesses. They take very good care of their employees and are a great company to work for and to learn from.