Encouraging graduate progression is something we take very seriously, with our graduate programme enabling us to bring through and support the next generation of young engineers. In this blog, we chat with some of our current employees who have been through similar graduate schemes, learning more about their current role, what motivates them and what they enjoy most about life at Mabey Hire.
If you could sum up your time and experience with Mabey Hire so far in one word, what would it be?
Nadir Salim – Sales Manager (Major Projects): I’d say rewarding! You look back on the whole experience and you can see how much you’ve achieved to be where you are now. You get to experience all the things we do on a daily basis and you just feel so lucky to be a part of it.
Nikolo Elchico – Assistant Design Engineer: Supportive. All the support systems Mabey Hire have in place are for everyone, regardless of who you are or what you do. So, if you are ever struggling or need some help you can just reach out and ask for it, which is really good.
Nikki Smith – Regional Engineering Manager: I think I’d probably say adventurous. There’s a lot of problem solving, and you never know what you’ll face from one day to the next, which makes each day a new adventure.
Could you tell us a bit more about the work you do and what aspect of temporary works you enjoy the most?
Elliott Griffin – Design Engineer: I really enjoy the variation of work that we do: you have to come up with ‘out of the box’ solutions for projects every day, meaning you’re essentially having to use the products in our portfolio to invent and build something new. It really allows you to flex your creative muscles and puts all those skills you’ve learnt into practice.
Joe: For me, temporary works is predominantly about problem solving and finding solutions for your customer, trying to make that process as simple and as painless as possible for them. It’s this that I enjoy the most about my role.
Nadir: When it comes to temporary works, you’re usually working within the confines of a permanent works scheme or existing structure. I think this forces you to be more creative, which I personally think makes you a better engineer. As a result of this, nothing (even the smaller projects) is ever straightforward and that keeps you on your toes. It’s a really valuable learning experience.
What motivates you within your role?
Matthew: For me, it’s all about bringing new engineers into the team and providing technical expertise and guidance to help improve their knowledge and make them better engineers. I really enjoy helping other people who are in the same position I once was, and I want to make sure they succeed in their careers too.
Nikolo: My main motivator is progression; I like to see myself progress as an individual and as part of this company. With Mabey Hire, there’s so much to learn and be involved in that you can keep learning new skills every day and just getting stuck in. This is a key part of what motivates me to work so hard.
Elliott: It’s encouraging to see the hard work that we put in during the first couple of years start to pay off - the jobs are coming in thick and fast, which is fantastic. Seeing the hard work we did come to fruition is really rewarding and definitely motivates me to continue.
What advice would you give to a prospective graduate?
Elliott: Get involved with customers, go to site, speak to people, see things and then ask questions - that’s the most valuable thing you can do.
Nikki: It’s very easy for people to stick on one path and just assume that’s the way to do something, but I think you challenge yourself the most when you go off that path.
Nadir: If you join the team, you can learn a lot from some very clever people here, which will stand you in good stead for the rest of your career.
Matthew: Don’t be afraid to ask questions, it’s the only way you’ll learn. People can make an impact very quickly this way.
Nikolo: Everyone’s there to support you, everybody wants to see you succeed.
Nik: There isn’t such a thing as a silly question - if you aren’t sure, just ask!
Joe: As much as people will focus on things like work / life balance and you shouldn’t work yourself to death, look at the time you spend working as an investment in yourself.
Hear more about our graduates’ experiences in our exclusive podcast:
Learn more about our careers and graduate programme within Mabey Hire here.
