My name is Abel. I was born and raised in Delhi, India. How did I get to Ireland? After university, I was working in an IT job that just wasn’t my cup of tea. I thought it was about time I got my Master’s degree. A close friend of mine was studying in UCD. She told me the engineering programme there was good, so I applied and moved to Ireland!
Leaving family was tough and adjusting to the curriculum at UCD was hard work, but it was exciting, too. Soon enough, it was time for my internship. I interviewed and was accepted by Intel as a graduate intern. I knew Intel worked with computers and was hoping it wouldn’t be another IT job—but I was assured that mechanical engineering was very important here. This was appealing to me, so I took the position. I loved the work so much, I actually asked my supervisor if I could stay on part-time after my internship finished. I continued to work at Intel while I was finishing classes in UCD. My manager was very supportive and when I graduated a year later, there was a full-time position available for me.
It’s fast-paced here at Intel and time has gone by quickly! I’m really blessed with great mentors who always have time for me. When you come in as a graduate, you’re faced with a plethora of info, so they pair you with a mentor. This is usually someone who’s been here for a while. They answer your questions and have good knowledge of the factory and engineering concepts. They teach you the ins and outs of this job. The Intel motto is: if you don’t know, just ask. Here, questions are always encouraged. One of the main reasons I like what I do is because I’m not afraid to ask questions.
My days in this job are anything but mundane. Sometimes everything goes smoothly, but other times, things go haywire—and this gives you an opportunity to brainstorm. I get a kick out of the challenges. The best part is, you have an ample amount of support to get through the tough days. I talk things out with my team and, at the end of the day, we solve the problem. This has taught me a lot about resilience. I think my character has been built up a lot since I started this job. You’re working with different people, learning together, and coming up with solutions.
One of the most rewarding things about working with Intel is seeing my decisions reflected in the data—it gives me joy! I can’t say enough about the new hire mentorship programme. It’s very, very good. Even as an intern, everyone in my department was approachable, even my managers. You are treated as a colleague and a friend. It’s those small things that really matter.