Project Networking

This week our group was split in order to work for Project Networking. The goal was to learn more about what we might do in the future as engineers. Each group had to contact different companies to find a person with a role in industrial management to interview. We were provided with a script with several questions that facilitated our work and allowed a formal and fluid discourse with the interviewees. Here are some of the final results.

BSD - Engineer Sérgio Brito

In about one hour, Engineer Sérgio Brito covered all the topics of our script, in a clear and enlightening way. He started by talking about his academic and professional career, then he spoke about the Industrial Engineering and Management course and finished the interview explaining how the production information systems work. After this conversation, the engineer showed us the factory installations, so that we could take photographs to complement our research.

Work done by Maria Beatriz and Adriana Silva.

Engineer Sérgio Brito

Company Bsd - The Best Solution Design

AMOB - Engineer Eleutério Fernandes

In the context of the integrated project in engineering and industrial management for the curricular unit of programming, I had to conduct an interview with a person with functions in the area of engineering and industrial management with the objective of getting to know better what I could exercise in the future. The chosen person for this interview was Mr. Engineer Eleutério Fernandes, currently employed at AMOB in Braga, a tube bending company.

The process for conducting the interview was extremely simple. The whole interview went smoothly and without any complications. At the end, he even offered to give me a guided tour of the company's manufacturing space, where he explained the whole production process and I had the opportunity to take some photos. I was very satisfied with the result of the interview. All the answers given by the Engineer were clear and enlightening, and gave me an understanding of all the skills necessary to be a good industrial engineer. To be resilient, to have a good working capacity, to have a good team spirit and to know how to talk. Being able and willing to work more than the 8 hours a day to, for example, plan the remaining weekly tasks after the plant closes. Know how to be a good leader and have a creative ability, which you learn over time and through college.

I learned that the job of industrial manager is difficult and you need to really enjoy what you do, but it is a job that is extremely necessary and valued by companies. Thus, my expectations about the job of an industrial engineer were exceeded. Listening to the way he speaks proudly of all his development as a person and his path at work, and knowing that one day I could be the one to hold in my hands all the organizational and logistical aspects of a company and that my work will be indispensable and will help in the progress and modernization of the company, makes me realize that I am in the right place.

Work done by Rita Rodrigues.

Company AMOB

Valerius - Têxteis, SA - Engineer Miguel Ângelo Silva

In the matter of the project networking I did my interview at the company Valerius – Têxteis, SA.

The interview went smooth with no hiccups along the way. I started by arriving at the company’s headquarters, where I was welcomed nicely by everyone. On the way to the office upstairs we talked about everyday stuff to keep the conversation flowing and break the ice.

The charismatic personality of the engineer really helped in getting all the answers that I needed and to understand what it is like to be an industrial and management engineer. With this I was able to follow every topic on the script with no issues.

Discussing the labor market was also exciting, because according to the engineer the demand for industrial and management engineers is growing, and although all companies have a CEO, his/hers focus is turned to the clients and not so much the production part of the business. So, to correct this there must be someone that sees the company as a whole and understands the connections between each department.

Learning about their software was also really interesting, the fact that they use ERP PROTêxtil and that software opens so many doors to improving efficiency and connects every department on the company. The organization became a role model in the industry by changing the way that they process their data and standardizing it.

In conclusion, this project really helped me see through the eyes of a industrial engineers and being in the headquarters helped me get a sense of what it is like to be the person that has to handle every single department and manage those while still improving the efficiency of the operations done by the factory.

Work done by Davide Rodrigues.

Engineer Miguel Ângelo Silva

Company Valerius

BytePitch - Engineer Pedro Morgado

Juliana and Sara interviewed Pedro Morgado, a software engineer and founder of the BytePitch Company. He has a very distinctive way of thinking which was interesting to discuss. Pedro believes companies must offer above average working conditions in order to attract more people to join his team. He claims being an Industrial Engineer means understanding different topics such as electronics, mechanics and software, but also having leadership and communication skills.

Overall, this interview was incredibly enlightening about the world of Industrial Engineering and Management.