My name is Kim, I work at Esko as a Quality Engineer for Automation Engine.
Which studies have you attended?
I studied at the Artevelde College for Graphic and Digital Media, also called HIGRO.
When did you start your career at Esko?
It was in January 2014. I remember the day the Esko Demo Team came to our campus and demonstrated the Studio application. From that moment on I was sold: Esko was the company I wanted to work for! After I graduated I applied, but at that time there were no open vacancies. So I hit a different direction, but kept my link with the graphic industry through my own design company and always kept an eye open for new vacancies at Esko. One day I saw an open spot, applied and got the job!
What was your first job at Esko?
I started as a Customer Support Engineer for the German region. The job itself is very interesting and fun to do, but in the end it became too stressful for me. I’m not a ‘people-person’ and this characteristic is something that is really required if you work with customers. But I loved the problem-solving part and learned a lot, which proves to be very useful in my current job.
Since October 2015 I work as a Quality Engineer for Automation Engine. In this function I ensure that the solutions we build meet the quality requirements our customers demand to drive their operations. I do so by testing the software and report possible issues to the development team.
Yes, I do! This job really fits my character. I’m able to dive into my work without – too much – distractions. Also the fact that there is no direct customer contact anymore helps me a lot to concentrate. A funny side effect on the other hand, is that my colleagues have to tell me that it’s time for lunch or time to go home, in order to get me out of my chair, but being able to forget the world around me is exactly my way of working!
What are the main differences between your first job as a Customer Support Engineer and your current job?
The 2 differences that are way out in front are the direct customer contact and the possibility to go all the way and get specialized in your product. As a Support Engineer, you need to know the basics of all the applications, to be able to give your customers the help they need, as fast and efficient as possible. And that’s not a ‘walk in the park’!
A Quality Engineer, on the other hand, needs to go to the bone of something and assists his/her colleagues if more advanced knowledge about a specific application is needed.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of your current job?
To be honest, I haven’t found disadvantages yet. Except maybe that I don’t have the time any longer to play around with the other applications, for instance Studio and the Color Management software. But this gives me the opportunity to bring out one of the biggest assets of Automation Engine: the software automates the whole production process, covering features of every Esko application. This means that the link with all of our products is kept. It also means that I’m able to keep on working together with all of my (former) colleagues and not starting to ‘rust up in the ivory tower’.
If you could choose again, would you choose the same profession?
Yes, if I would have had carte blanche at Esko, I would immediately go for a job as Quality Engineer! That was actually my big dream when I started here, but I thought you had to be very knowledgeable and specialized in the products already. So my plan was to start at Customer Support, learn everything there and after five to seven years make the move to QA. But after some time I knew that Customer Support was not going to work for me for another five years, so I started to look around.
In my previous job I was specialized in color, so I first contacted the R&D Manager of the Color Management team. At the same time my eye caught an open position in the Automation Engine team: not the easiest application, but indeed the most versatile. The color team did not have open vacancies at that moment and I passed the test for Automation Engine, so my choice was made. About six weeks later, I was transferred to my new department.
What are the most important characteristics that are beneficial for this job?
An important characteristic is that you should be able to work very concentrated and willing to learn continuously, because the software expects you to go ‘beyond the boundaries of the art’. Also there is no place for a 9-to-5 mentality. But apart from that, all kinds of people work at R&D and that makes it a fun ‘gang’!
What is the difficult part of your job?
Thank you, Kim, for this interesting interview!