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Diversified practice instead of dry theory

Interview with Manuel, electrical fitter in the Energy Technology business unit

Manuel has been working for our company for almost nine years. He intentionally decided to pursue an apprenticeship as electrical energy technician at EQOS Energie. After just a short time at the polytechnic, he quickly realised that he was more interested in the practical side of energy technology than the theory. The diverse tasks and different deployment locations still reaffirm his decision every single day.

Manuel, why did you decide to pursue an apprenticeship as an electrical energy technician?

I had been fascinated by electrical engineering for a long time. But I noticed very quickly that I am more interested in hands-on work than acquiring theoretical knowledge only. That’s why I decided to do the apprenticeship. Today I can say that there are actually huge differences between theory and practice. The local circumstances at the construction sites are usually different from what it says in the textbook. There are always cases in which you have to react spontaneously, because the circumstances are different than originally assumed. This requires independent thinking and spontaneity, which is exactly what I like.

What tasks do you perform in your daily work for EQOS Energie?

In short: I do everything that has anything to do with electricity. As fitters, we are all-rounders and work in various areas. During the apprenticeship, it started with residential installations such as light switches and electrical outlets. Later, tasks in low- and medium-voltage were added, such as installing power distributors in companies to which all devices and engines are connected. Today my responsibilities are even more different: I work on anything from parking garages at the university to low-voltage distribution at the airport – both domestically and abroad.

Everybody needs to pay attention to everybody else.

What characterises your job in particular?

Here, every work day is different. While the tasks are similar, each project requires different know-how. It never gets boring, since we always have to adjust to the circumstances on site. What’s particularly important for an electrical fitter is high concentration and the cooperation with coworkers, because safety plays a great role in our job. Everybody needs to pay attention to everybody else. With our work, even the smallest mistake could be your last.

So teamwork is also extremely important in your job. What is the cooperation between all of you like?

I have been working with some of my colleagues ever since my apprenticeship. We have gotten to know each other well, which is why we don’t have to talk much anymore. Often, a single glance is enough to know what the other person needs that very moment. But the cooperation with the project and site managers also works well at all times. The fitters know the local circumstances and the project managers take care of planning and keep an eye on the overall picture. Together we discuss how the project can be implemented. As a team, we all complement each other very well, which is why the work is a lot of fun most of the time.