Experience report – Ümmet Dogan

My job: Quality, accuracy and care

Man with blue polo shirt, short brown hair with beard, behind him the production hall — Materials tester

My path to thyssenkrupp was a convoluted one, and I came to the company as a career changer. As a child I liked to make model cars and take electronic toys apart. After finishing secondary school, I first completed a training as a road and civil engineer and then worked on construction sites in various trades.

Due to health restrictions, I could not carry out my profession in the long term and at the age of 26 I started to retrain as a material tester. The step was a bold one, and I had to completely reorient myself professionally. But even in the first few months of my training I knew that I enjoyed my job and that it was the right job for me.

I come from the local area and got to know the company in several internships during my retraining. After completing my retraining I used the old contacts and applied to thyssenkrupp on my own initiative. Today I am a materials tester in quality assurance and I associate my job with a sense of security. I really appreciate my regular employment contract!

It took a lot of time and perseverance until I found my dream job. At thyssenkrupp my bold step was rewarded and I was offered a completely new perspective. I am very grateful for the diverse development opportunities and the comprehensive support.

My challenges

At the beginning of my work I had no experience with metal. The product was completely new to me. Especially at the beginning, it is difficult to tell the individual rings apart.

In order to select the right testing method, I need to know the manufacturing process and take special features into account. My work is very varied due to the different test procedures. Through my training, I have mastered many procedures, including ultrasonic testing, dye penetrant testing and magnetic particle testing. The collaboration on our world record bearing was especially exciting.

My typical working day

In my job, every day is different and does not follow a typical pattern. My workplace alternates between the office and production, although I spend more time at my desk than I used to. My tasks include preparing the orders and organizing the work for my colleagues in production. Nevertheless, I take every opportunity to do my own tests. As a supervisor for non-destructive testing, I am a central contact person for the individual procedures and I am available to my team for all problems.

The testing procedures are all carried out by hand and I carefully inspect the rings for irregularities and defects. Through seminars I was able to expand my professional knowledge and have achieved the highest qualification as a tester in all testing procedures with the Level 3 grade. In order to stay up to date and to observe the development of the procedures, I am currently continuing my training as a tester certified by the German Society for Non-Destructive Testing. thyssenkrupp welcomes independent suggestions for further education and ideas.

"engineering. tomorrow. together." Together means for me …

… Together feeling! We work closely together in our team, and everyone in the group stands out for their helpfulness and commitment. My colleagues are always available for questions and problems, and we support each other.

There is a family atmosphere in my department, and I am also a friend of my colleagues outside working hours. I feel like part of a huge team. In my job, I often work with other departments and we consult with them on order processing and the current production status.