Navigating the Career Journey – How I Discovered the True Meaning of Success
When I was 19 years old, my first contact with the academic environment firstly meant accountability and it revealed to me that I was ready for a new step in life. That is why, in the first year of college, I could already be a proud owner of a Continental badge, eager for progress, challenges and satisfactions.
The latter things did not take long to appear. The project activities revolved around the latest topics in the automotive area. We found products that would make their place on the market only in years to come, collaborations with very serious and well-known customers and, after all, the most fascinating part: the opportunity to leave your mark on things that the world will be surrounded by. It is gratifying to see how your work becomes concrete and how thousands of people later interact with products that you have outlined or to which you have directly contributed.
At this moment I hold the position of System Tester Engineer - Automation Expert in the Navigation Competence Center from Iași. The Positioning team that I am part of is currently developing a telematics unit for future car models. The functionalities we bring primarily address the needs of the navigation system.
We are responsible for taking and processing data from satellites, providing an optimal location alternative for situations where communication with satellites is not possible, but also for critical elements, such as responsiveness and data collection or transmission in the unfortunate event of an accident or theft. It is also worth mentioning that the navigation systems are in a close relationship with the Autonomous Driving area and many other captivating areas that are growing rapidly and which, for sure, will become at some point an integral part of everyday life. Even if we cannot fully reveal our plans and activities, it is clear that the future cannot be imagined in the absence of intelligent positioning systems.
Working on projects of such magnitude, spread in all major global markets, obviously brings with it collaborations or even trips to territories with traditions and cultures different from the local ones. Such experiences not only shape your professional allure, but also polish you as a human being. It shows you what tolerance, respect and equity mean, it teaches you how to look at different points of view, how to coordinate your expectations with others or how to receive and work as a team with new people. It finally gives you a different kind of education. The elements mentioned above, corroborated with the freedom of choice regarding the tools or skills that we can use to complete our tasks, have shown me that where I am now is indeed an environment conducive to progress.
All these things, of course, require responsible, serious and dedicated people. In search of them, in technical interviews, my colleagues and I are often asked about “accomplishment”. In my opinion, success does not come with a university degree, with a code written without error or with a contract or a bonus. A successful man is one who manages to passionately build something better for the future. An individual becomes successful if he is surrounded by people who make him smile and feel valued. Success is gradual and requires patience and hard work. After completing my master's degree, I managed to dedicate more time to professional activities, and Continental, by the nature of the projects I take part in, gives me the feeling that I am always one step closer to success.
This article was written by our employee.
