Career change: Why I chose DETC…

A mechanical engineer by qualification, most of my academic and work experience till now had been in the aerospace sector, having worked both in the UK and abroad in what I considered fulfilling and enjoyable technical areas.

I first became a mechanical engineer, however, to gain a wider understanding and experience of the breath of fields and different roles available (in comparison to more specialised routes of aerospace or automotive engineering).

In addition to this, I have always wanted to become a well-rounded and effective engineer. All too often I’ve experienced very gifted technical experts in one discipline stuck in a position where their work could not have the impact they envisioned.

This led me to realise developing soft skills such as communication, teamwork and social skills was just as important as a developing a wider technical knowledge. After all, in my opinion, to be an effective engineer you must be able to convey your ideas, their merits and faults across to others. Too often Engineers are great with details with those in industry but are unable to explain great and wonderful projects that they are working on to people with non-technical backgrounds.

So recently, I decided it was time to challenge myself again to broaden my scope and thus my transition into the automotive sector. A personal and professional friend, Ruwan Karunarathne, introduced me to HSSMI. Being a native east Londoner, I had grown up and gone to school within a mile radius from the Olympic park before the site was opened so the prospective at working closer to home drew me in. I applied, and after a reasonable interview process I was successful in obtaining the position of Technical Lead, modelling of hybrid engines, in the Digital Engineering Test Centre (DETC) team of HSSMI.

DETC looks to establish “Digital” engineering tools and techniques that can be used to halve the time of the product development process (PDP) and double its value, specifically for automotive propulsion systems. Having experience with the aircraft product development process, design optimisation, computer aided engineering (CAE) integration environments and data management systems - I felt I had transferable skills that would make this role an exciting opportunity.

During my interview, I got a genuine sense that both a challenging technical experience and personal job satisfaction were both important and achievable at the DETC and this appealed to me. Furthermore, on joining I was made to feel welcomed at HSSMI, being introduced to each team member and the company directors on a ‘one-on-one’ basis. My colleagues were helpful throughout my induction and always seemed to have a smile or laugh in our conversation. There is also a real ‘team’ feeling throughout the company, with a ‘flat’ organisation structure - everyone here has an essential part to play, from the directors right through to the interns.

HSSMI has a multicultural, diverse team of young, talented and experienced professionals, fostering an environment where people are open to new ideas, discussion and collaboration. It has been a wonderful experience joining HSSMI. Being somewhat apprehensive initially about changing sectors, I have found DETC to be the ideal fit for me. I enjoy and look forward to coming work each day and it’s not every role I have been in that I have been able to say that.

-This blog was written by Ritesh Amin. This blog is intended for external use -