#GradStories Kate Wall, Project Engineer, PepsiCo

What are your main tasks in a typical week?

I am a project engineer at PepsiCo. No two days look the same in my role. My main responsibilities are managing projects that are ongoing and scoping out some new projects. This includes helping operations and manufacturing find solutions for problems. I'd be dealing with contractors, suppliers and operators and trying to work with them to manage the projects and get them done efficiently.

What skills do you need to be successful in this role?

Communication would probably be the biggest, most important skill in my role and as deal with different people at different functions such as I.T, quality and contractors and operators and it's really important that I can comprehend what their problems are to try and solve them and to relay these problems to suppliers and contractors.

Problem solving is also important. There'd be problem solving in each part of project management so scoping out the projects and being able to deal with the problems that arise is important.

What advice would you give to a new graduate?

Develop your teamwork skills, especially if you’re going into engineering. I work with a great team and it's really important that you can communicate with the team and be a team player.

Work on presentations as well. You're always presenting your new ideas and solutions to problems in this job. In college I think you tend to shy away from them so try and build your confidence in college so when you get out into the professional world you know you're well able and you're confident enough to be able to put your hand up and do the presentation.

How did you get into your job?

At an early age I loved maths and science. So, for my leaving cert I did applied maths, chemistry, physics and higher level maths. Then in college I did chemical and biopharmaceutical engineering in Munster Technological University and during that time I had to do an internship which I completed at PepsiCo. I loved it and after those eight months I knew that I chose the right career for me.

How have you adjusted to working from home?

PepsiCo is very flexible so it was I was lucky enough that when I started I was able to be full-time on site just with the nature of my work. So I was able to build relationships with my team and other functions but as I got settled in it was great to be able to work from home a day or two a week.

What do you love about your job?

I love many things about my job. I love the variety. It's great being in such a big company like PepsiCo. I work on smaller projects but it's great to see the principles that I'm applying to my projects in these big expansions.

I also love the culture and the people at PepsiCo.