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Customer Engineer Manager - Secondary Education
I’m Arda Aplan. I’m a mechanical engineer. I work for Cummins as Customer Engineering Manager. I have two bachelor's degrees, one in mechanical engineering and one in science of business administration. In addition, I have a master’s degree in automotive engineering. I live in Istanbul, Turkey. Basically, I lead a team of engineers which are helping the vehicle manufacturer companies for their mechanical designs.
Meet the professional
I work in the automotive industry, and my job is related to engines and engine subsystems. and the various systems that interact with engines. Engines involve a wide range of engineering knowledge that I studied during my mechanical engineering education, such as strength of materials, materials science, thermodynamics, heat transfer, and control systems. and physics and mathematics for sure.
So, I lead a team that provides engineering support to the vehicle manufacturer companies, which are using our engine portfolios to develop and produce vehicles like trucks, buses, various types of construction vehicles, etc. These vehicles serve society in many different applications all around the world.
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Skills
Analytical Reasoning
It helps me to understand the interactions between cause and effect relationships within problems or situations. It also helps me break down complex issues or challenges into smaller, more manageable elements, and sometimes even into a set of mathematical equations. This makes it easier to solve them step by step.
Problem Solving
For me, problem-solving means approaching the issues or challenges in a systematic way, focusing on the main root causes and identifying the most effective ways to bring a solution to those root causes.
Collaboration
Collaboration is another skill that I need not only as a leader but also in a customer-facing role. For me, it’s a skill that includes the necessary mindset for both conflict management and finding common ground or a common target for organisations, teams or individuals who may have different perspectives and different goals.
Adaptability
Adaptability skill helped me greatly during my career and continues to be important in my current role. The world is changing very quickly; similarly, expectations and technologies are changing as well. Adaptability helps me to adjust properly to evolving conditions.
Curiosity
Curiosity is the source of all thinking styles required for anyone who wants to work with natural sciences or engineering. The habit of questioning fuels the motivation to learn and develop.
Leadership
Leadership is another strong skill that I need as a team manager. Leading by example is always the most natural way to be a good leader. Showing care and empathy makes you a successful and respected leader.
Advice to take away
I believe every individual has their own strengths and a unique combination of skills and interests which can be easily understood by asking themselves about their favourite courses or school-related activities.
Some courses are easier for them to understand than others, or seem like fun to study or think about. I recommend asking themselves about those ones because if they work in a field which attracts their motivation, it’ll rarely feel boring, which brings success automatically. Another piece of advice is related to social skills.
Some individuals are introverted, while others are extroverted. Some people prefer to act based on their senses or emotions, while others act according to the facts that they can reach. All these are completely ok, but my advice is to observe these personal tendencies and choose a career path that fits them best.
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Disclaimer
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Also supported by Scientix®, an initiative of European Schoolnet.