Hossein's Industrial Placement
Hossein is a Biomedical Engineering student from Dubai. In this post he reflects on his placement at Siemens Healthineers: "it was transformative, both for me and the organization. The experience allowed me to develop professionally while contributing tangible, lasting value to the company."
"A standout achievement"
My projects directly addressed inefficiencies and introduced innovative solutions. A standout achievement was the development of a digitalized time study request system using PowerApps. The previous process relied on manual paper approvals, which were cumbersome and time-intensive. By creating a streamlined app, I reduced approval turnaround time by 40% and eliminated errors caused by missing paperwork.
As a student, I brought a curious, unencumbered mindset to existing processes, challenging assumptions and proposing new approaches. In turn, I benefited from their mentorship and support, which helped shape me into a well-rounded professional.
The placement allowed me to refine key skills such as problem-solving, project management, and technical proficiency.
"Collaboration became the cornerstone of my experience"
Over the year, collaboration became the cornerstone of my experience. Working across 10+ departments, including Procurement, Maintenance, IT, and Logistics, I quickly learned that effective collaboration relies on clear communication, mutual respect, and trust. Every team member brought a unique perspective, and understanding how to integrate these viewpoints was key to achieving shared goals.
A pivotal moment came while working with the Maintenance and Engineering teams to standardize asset labelling procedures. There were instances of differing opinions on design and functionality, which initially created tension. However, I discovered that facilitation, bringing the group together to align objectives, was just as important as my technical contributions. By mediating discussions and driving consensus, we created a tool-tagging solution that satisfied all parties.
"It sparked a newfound passion"
Before this experience, I envisioned a career solely in biomedical engineering. However, working across diverse teams on innovative projects opened my eyes to the exciting intersection of engineering, data analysis, and process optimization. It sparked a newfound passion for tackling complex challenges and delivering measurable improvements.
Whether pursuing a consultancy role, a position in process engineering, or leadership in manufacturing, I’ve developed a clearer understanding of the kind of professional I want to be, one who not only drives innovation but also mentors others, empowering teams to achieve shared goals.