Premium Power take on a number of students and graduates throughout the year. In this Student Spotlight series we hear from students at the end of their internship about their learning experience, what they’ll take from it and what advice they would give to engineers considering applying for a position at Premium Power. Here Mohammed Alhabib who is studying for his Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Electronics Engineering at Dublin Institute of Technology talks of his experience at Premium Power
Why did you choose to apply to Premium Power for your engineering internship?
I became interested in Premium Power Engineering Graduate Programme after having a discussion with a previous intern in Premium Power. He was very happy and proud of all the work he did there and the knowledge he gained. I researched the company and became even more interested in the valuable learning outcomes offered within the Engineering Graduate Program, and the challenging studies Premium Power conduct. As part of my degree, I’m specialised in power systems but I never thought I would join a consultancy company. However, I feel now that consultancy suits me more than anything else because of evaluation, problem solving, and system design projects involved within the Engineering Internship Programme offered by Premium Power.
How did you find working at Premium Power, did you enjoy it?
I did indeed. I felt I was learning and gaining knowledge from my first day. I’m aware of other interns at other companies complaining about the work assigned to them as they were only compiling and sorting excel sheets and printing out papers. So, I’m glad that I chose Premium Power’s Engineering Graduate Internship Programme. Every day was different and there was always something new to learn. I was involved in support work for studies such as arc flash analysis, short-circuit and load flow analysis, VFD drive investigations, and earthing studies. It is an excellent experience for those who are interested and love the challenge.
What would you say were the key things you learned during Premium Power’s Engineering Graduate Programme?
I would say that I learned many skills that are essential for all engineers. For instance, I learned how to interpret engineering drawings and diagrams, how to extract information from data sheets, how to assist in the modelling of protective devices, and assisting on arc flash, short-circuit, and load flow analysis. Not to mention the problem-solving techniques and root cause investigations. Also I saw how results and reports are compiled per project specifications or requirements. Furthermore, all analysis and services provided by Premium Power are in compliance with several international standards and national codes. Therefore, it is important to know how to follow all the standards and codes throughout the work.
How did your experience compare to the theory you are taught in college – what it is like to really get to grip with projects on the ground during your time on the Engineering Internship Programme?
Totally different. Problem solving is the core of engineering. However, all the problems we’re given in college are not real problems. They are often straight forward and the numbers work out nice and easy. In college, when I’m given a problem, I know that somebody has designed this problem and given me all the information I need to solve it. Real problems on the other hand are challenging, and never straight forward. Also, there are always obstacles showing up on the way which require intensive research and information gathering. Those obstacles are time consuming and often tricky. My colleagues helped to advise me and discuss any obstacles I struggled with to make sure I understood how to solve the issue if I encountered it again. There are always so many considerations to be taken into account before solving a problem. Thus, two similar real-world problems may have a different solution each. What makes me enthusiastic about the work in Premium Power is that there is a real client experiencing a real problem and needs our consultancy to help them in solving it. This really makes it enjoyable, beneficial, and challenging.
Has your experience at Premium Power Engineering Graduate Programme changed where you plan on taking your engineering career?
Yes, it has to be honest. As I mentioned earlier, consultancy wasn’t what I was looking for. However, with my experience at Premium Power, I started to like and appreciate the nature of engineering consultancy work. Power systems is a huge sector where there are a lot of things to learn. So, I believe that it is more beneficial for me as a junior engineer to work in a consultancy company to handle various aspects of power systems issues and further learn and expand my knowledge as a power systems engineer.
Describe your overall experience during Premium Power Engineering Graduate Programme in three words?
Enjoyable, valuable, challenging
View current opportunities and more about Premium Power’s graduate programme here.
