Aoife O'Connor & Darryl Day, Process Engineers, Intel

What is a normal working day like for you?

Aoife: Here at Intel, every day is different. Every morning we have a meeting where we look at any issues or problems from the night before, Intel is a 24 hour operation. We then identify our priorities for the day and talk to our colleagues to see if they have any issues that need to be addressed. We also have our meetings with our colleagues in the United States, and other international sites. So the normal day is a busy one, with the emphasis very much on problem solving and progress.

What are the most important skills?

Darryl: As an engineer, you need a variety of skills. You need the technical skills, to think fast on your feet and to be able to analyse data, to make impiortant decisions on mechanical, electrical and software issues and to be confident in the decisions you are making. You need to be able to work effectively with your teammates and build effective relationships with everyone you work with.

What’s the best thing about working in the tech sector?

Aoife: The best thing is working in Intel is that you’re working for such an advanced company. We are working with the very latest in semi-conductor technology. I particularly enjoy the troubleshooting and seeing how things get fixed, and working as part of great team.

Darryl: The best thing about my job is that I am never bored. My job is so diverse and different that I am constantly being challenged alongside my peers and my managers, so there is a very varied working life here.

Do you have any advice for students?

Aoife: Here, teambuilding and teamwork skills are so important. We work with teams at all levels within our own discipline and then with factory level teams and indeed international teams.

Darryl: The one skill I would say to develop, and I wish somebody told me this when I was 18 or 19, is to develop your organisational skills. To be able to organise yourself on a day to day basis, from a work point of view, from a work/life point of view, you need to be able to achieve balance. You need to be able to take stock of your projects, to be able to prioritise and put A before B in terms of your workload. That is a key skill that I think is underdeveloped in many people.