Based in China’s Sichuan province, engineer Hao Kang joined the dynamic Smiths Detection global digital team as a graduate
Hao Kang was the first graduate appointment to Smiths Detection in China. He joined in 2020 having studied mechanical engineering at Xihua University and is looking forward to a long career with the company – but he nearly didn’t make it!
“I saw an information session advertised and decided to go along but it was held at a different university and with torrential rain on the day, I wasn’t keen on venturing out. What a near miss. I’m so glad I made the effort as I discovered a lot of interesting and good things about Smiths Detection and its technologies. I was hooked.”
Hao joined the fast expanding, global digital team which is tasked with accelerating development of digital technologies and solving customer challenges with data driven insights and digital solutions. With his mechanical engineering background, Hao also began supporting the service team on specific projects, giving him a great chance to understand the products from both the digital and hardware aspects.
“Starting your first job with absolutely no work experience can be a bit daunting. However, I discovered a lot of kind and helpful colleagues in the two teams. In Chinese culture, older people look after the younger family members – and Smiths Detection has been just like a family looking after the new, inexperienced guy!”
Opportunities to learn
Staff at Smiths Detection are encouraged to take advantage of the many different learning opportunities and resources which range from technical development to ethics, processes and management. The first stage for Hao was to develop his computer programming skills but with the support of his Line Manager and Mentor, he plans to continue expanding his knowledge and experience.
“There is a lot to learn at Smiths Detection and the chance to learn it. I was lucky to move straight into the digital team as the company has big ambitions to further develop digital technologies such as deep learning and artificial intelligence. Digitalisation will be increasingly important. I also appreciate the chance to work with colleagues around the world and discover how different cultures operate.”
Exceeding expectations
Hao is anticipating a fruitful career at Smiths Detection. Over the next few years has his sights set on becoming a Project Manager and believes his knowledge of both the digital and the mechanical will help him achieve this goal.
“I am happy, well cared for and delighted to have the chance to learn new technologies. When I talk to old classmates who are now in other companies, I feel very fortunate to be at Smiths Detection. This company is a global market leader and an excellent platform for self- improvement – working here has far exceeded my expectations.”