We sat down with KPC International Process Engineer, Sean Lehane, to learn about his career with KPC International.
What made you choose engineering as a career?
When I decided to study Engineering, I chose chemical and process not only because it interested me but also because I knew it would give me the opportunity to travel and gain life experiences that I would otherwise never have gained. Through my work with KPC, I have been able to achieve more than I could ever have imagined.
How would you describe your career with KPC International so far?
In my nearly eight years working as a Commissioning Engineer for KPC, I have worked in Hungary, Paris, Singapore, Manchester and am currently residing in Switzerland. Professionally, I have progressed from naïve graduate highlighting process flow paths to a Lead C&Q Engineer on one of the biggest Bio-pharmaceutical projects in the world today. Often frustrating, rarely predictable but always exciting, working on these projects has been the ideal way to gain the necessary technical, interpersonal and managerial skills to thrive in a project environment.
However, it is the experiences both professional and personal that I have gained through the work that I am particularly proud of and it is this that sets KPC apart from the other engineering companies in the industry. Firstly, the support and trust that I received from the senior Engineers in the KPC team along with their considerable professional credibility within the industry has allowed me to progress faster within the environment than I otherwise would have, had I entered a different graduate program. It has also allowed me to travel the world and work with numerous different cultures, the interpersonal skillset gained from these experiences has proven to be as significant an asset as any technical aspect. It has also allowed me to reach conversational competency in both French and German, something I never would have thought I could achieve before joining.
What advice would you give young Engineers?
- You will meet an array of diverse characters as a project engineer, embrace it, it’s the best thing about the job. Nobody got into Engineering for the personal relationships so they can be very interesting.
- In part relation to point 1, Relax!, project work is stressful enough without bringing undue pressure on yourself. At the end of the day (sometimes long day) go home and forget about the job, it will always be there in the morning.
- There is nothing more damaging to your credibility than thinking you know it all. It is important to always be trying to learn and improve.
To find your opportunity to join the KPC International team, visit our careers portal here, or get in touch by emailing [email protected]
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