If you’re considering a career in engineering or manufacturing, you’ve likely encountered plenty of advice about where to start and which directions to take. Here, our Solution Manager for Machine Automation, Jonas Schmitt, talks about how no two journeys are exactly alike, and the value you can gain from a mix of experiences as you move through college and into working life.

• Academic backgrounds give you the foundation to start your career, sharpening your skills in analytical thinking and systematic problem solving.

• Practical hands-on experience is vital however, helping you to better grasp and understand the technical concepts you’ve learnt in the classroom.

• Interacting with customers is key to your development too, with the best results coming from stepping into unfamiliar territory and going on a learning curve.

Beginning your engineering career in the classroom

For many people, their first introduction to engineering comes in the classroom, often in high school, through lessons aimed at developing problem-solving skills and creativity. Even starting out with simple tasks like building bridges out of straws, I found inspiration in these early experiences of engineering and started to learn about the jobs I could go into.

My classroom learning continued past high school, when I completed a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering at Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University in Germany. This is where I came to develop a solid understanding of mechanical systems, materials, and manufacturing processes, which gave me the technical foundation to analyse and develop automation solutions.

I then went on to complete a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, which allowed me to refine my analytical thinking and strengthen my problem-solving skills. My academic background has shaped the way I work, bringing structure to my day, and helping me understand my strengths and weaknesses and approach challenges in a systematic way.

The biggest takeaway from my studies, that I’m carrying into all the work I do, is that automation only works when mechanics and electronics are seamlessly integrated. This places even more importance on taking a multi-disciplinary approach to engineering, and to keep learning beyond higher education, so you can build a comprehensive skill set that lets you innovate more effectively.

Taking engineering from the classroom to the factory floor

Having found great fascination with automation and creating automated systems, the next logical step for me following university was joining SEW-EURODRIVE Bruschal HQ in 2020 whilst completing my master’s degree. In the past few years, I’ve progressed through the ranks from a Solution Architect to a Solution Manager for Machine Automation.

In my current role , I’m responsible fordeveloping and implementing complete machine solution packages, such as our 'StarterSET', an end-to-end automation packaging solution. Acting as the technical link between sales, marketing, and service, I support every step of the development and implementation process, while representing our solutions nationally and internationally at trade shows, industry events, and customer meetings.

Over the past five years, I’ve learnt the value of practical, hands-on experience to better grasp and understand technical concepts. It’s one thing learning something in a classroom, but actually visualising it on the factory floor is so important for being able to properly comprehend what a solution entails and how moving parts work differently.

This is where apprenticeships can bring you the best of both worlds, allowing you to gain first-hand technical expertise, while offering the comfort of a classroom environment to learn trickier ideas as you gain analytical skills.

Developing your skills by working with customers

Your greatest experience, however, will be shaped by working with customers. Close interaction and collaboration is essential for developing effective solutions, and you’ll often get the best results when you step out of your comfort zone and into unfamiliar territory.

One of my favourite projects, which shows the full value of collaboration, was the work we did with the machinery specialist Hugo Beck in creating the sustainable packaging machine ‘flowpack R’.

Our focus was on creating a packaging solution that was both economical and sustainable, combining resource-efficient hardware with intelligent software. We replaced an energy-draining compressed air system with energy-efficient stepper motors, and the machine can work with paper too, helping to reduce the carbon footprint of packaging.

We worked directly onsite with Hugo Beck throughout the design and testing process, optimising as we went, and we used a digital twin to ensure everything functioned properly completing the physical build.

Overall, I learnt so much from the project: how the machinery operates, the unique challenges of working with paper as a packaging material, and how packaging machinery design is evolving. The most rewarding part was seeing how pleased Hugo Beck was with the end result.

While I’m still at the start of my career, my time in the industry so far has taught me the value of combining hands-on experience with continued technical learning. Through our initiatives like the DriveAcademy®, our colleagues and customers alike can stay up to date with the latest SEW-EURODRIVE products and technology through practical training offered onsite or at our training centres.

This means our teams are continually learning and building up their skill sets, ensuring we remain knowledgeable, and ready to support our customers with confidence.

My aims for the next steps in my career are, firstly, to continue learning, and secondly, to use that knowledge to strengthen collaboration with both customers and internal teams, enabling us to deliver more tailored solutions and meet new challenges as they arise.

Interested in building a career with SEW-EURODRIVE UK? Check out our job opportunities here.