For Engineers Week 2018, CavMac has been interviewing our hardworking engineers to get their experiences of engineering and how they would encourage students to think of Engineering when considering their options for the future. For young people, gaining experiences like these from professionals are key to deciding what college course to apply for in their final year of secondary school.
We sat down with our Process Development Engineer, Cristiano Baeta Neves de Souza, to understand his exciting journey to becoming an Engineer and what his experience has been like so far.
Degree: Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering – Mechanical Engineer
What Attracted You to Engineering?
“I first started dreaming about being an engineer on grade eight (Brazilian Second Year equivalent). At that time, I was passionate about cars, and the world’s second largest automotive factory is located just outside my hometown in Brazil. Besides that, I had outstanding skills in Math, so I made a successful application for Technical School where I could study to become a Mechtronics Technician (Level 5/6 Diploma) alongside high school. When I was 17, becoming an Engineer was a straight forward and natural decision, since this diploma lead me to my first internship and six months later, to university. Two years later, I went for an engineering exchange program in Canada and finally moved on to the job market.”
What is Your Greatest Challenge in the Engineering Sector Today?
“In my first two classes of engineering we were requested to answer two different, but equally basic questions: “ What is technology?“ and “What is Quality?”.”
“Technology is applied knowledge, and quality is to meet customer needs. My biggest challenge in engineering is to find solutions for existing problems using the available tools within customer and company expectation. If you consider the whole engineering sector, I believe that the main challenge is to apply all the knowledge not only to achieve customer expectations, but to see beyond that; minimizing the impacts of their projects, process and activities on the environment and communities to preserve their wellbeing.”
Are You Happy with Your Choice of Career?
“Definitely. When it comes to engineering jobs, you are always involved with different projects. They might present some similarities between them, but they are never the exact same. The best thing about engineering is being able to surprise yourself with your own creativity, and more than that being immersed in a motivational and collaborative environment where ideas are always welcomed.”
Have You Got Anymore Last Words of Wisdom for Future Engineers?
Express yourself, every idea is a gemstone to be faceted.
