The right support makes all the difference

What do a doctoral student, an assistant university professor, an unmanned system consultant, and a former intern have in common? They each found a rewarding career at Siemens Energy. Every day, they are encouraged to bring their brilliance and passion to make the world a greener and safer place – and to be their full selves – and they credit the company-wide support, flexibility, collaboration, and strong leadership for empowering them to do their best work and make a real difference.

There is no single path that leads to the incredible work they do. Fei Song was a Power Transmission & Distribution doctoral student before becoming a Senior Principal Engineer. “When I started looking for a job, I had many offers, but I remember the interview at Siemens Energy and wishing that I could work at this company,” recalls Fei. “At that moment, when I accepted the offer, it felt right.”

Sarah Tornell Sevillano already had an internship at Siemens Energy and was fortunate to transition into a position that was tailor-made for her. She remembers attending a job fair and being told by a recruiter that there may not be an ideal opportunity for her at the time, but the recruiter saw her value and created a sample job post so Sarah could submit her information. Fast forward and Sarah was offered a role in Power Distribution—a brand new position for the company.

Martin Kalcher was an assistant university professor when he stepped into a sales role and fell in love with power transformers. “I studied mechanical engineering and economics, and I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do,” he recalls. “When there was an open job at Siemens Energy, it was my chance.”

Unmanned system consultant Haris Balta was partnering with Siemens Energy on a UAV power line inspection project and realized the high value of working as a full-time employee instead. “Siemens Energy was inventing new technologies and was a more advanced player,” he recounts. “I recognized this immediately and welcomed the opportunity to work together.” 

Despite their different journeys, each of these employees has found a place at Siemens Energy, along with the support to build their careers with autonomy and positively impact their teams, the company, and society. Sarah likens it to raising her family: Children thrive when their parents are strong, confident leaders – and employees are no different.

Sarah's youthful team works across 12 different countries, and she channels the organization and confidence she’s gained as a parent to help her balance competing priorities. “Each region has their own goals and different viewpoints,” she shares. Thanks to the international and intercultural training provided by Siemens Energy, the team has united around the shared goal of supplying sustainable, reliable, and affordable energy around the world. “They are proud to work at Siemens Energy and really want to do something that will make a change.”

That “change” Sarah refers to comes from teams that set elevated expectations and have accountability measures in place to help protect the environment. “What makes our team successful is taking ownership,” explains Fei. Every year, her team thinks about new ways to move energy more efficiently, implementing higher standards while reducing costs. “I helped create some of these standards, and I got support from higher management to see who else could use it. They put it in the spotlight.”

Her managers immediately saw the potential in applying Fei’s standards in ways she never imagined. “The managers will figure out how to use your idea in an even bigger way.” In this case, they took her standards and shared them not only with other engineers but also with the company’s customers. “It helped make Siemens Energy more desirable than our competitors because we could show them the standard we would use.” It’s this kind of support and validation of her contributions that’s made her job so rewarding. 

Haris feels the same way about management and is particularly grateful for the flexibility his team is provided. “We’re in innovation. We’re doing crazy stuff, and sometimes we need to have unconventional ways. Our managers are very supportive.” As his team prepares for explosive growth, he appreciates the way leadership balances realistic expectations with allowing his team to pursue the out-of-the-box ideas that keep them innovative.

As a leader himself, Martin also appreciates management – and how his leaders not only say they trust him but back it up with the budget and freedom he needs to get the job done. “Whatever I’ve wanted to do, they let me do it,” he explains. “I’m the driver of my career and my story, and I’ve always been supported with training and resources.” That allows him to be a strong support for his team, just as management has been for him. “I lead by example,” he adds, “and I also foster collaboration. There are so many smart people around us! We don’t have to solve everything alone.”

Collaboration and building strong relationships are part of the culture at Siemens Energy, and there also are a wide variety of programs to help team members grow their knowledge and expertise. Sarah points to the Ready for Tomorrow program, where employees can learn about AI and machine learning, as a prime example. “It’s really great how they give us the space to innovate and see things from the other side, and it’s not just for executives—it's for everyone.”

No matter what side of the organization an employee is on, they are all proud of the role they play in ensuring access to greener energy and are grateful for the support and opportunity to energize society. “The Transmissions division is very open,” Martin explains “I’ve never felt any boundaries, and I’ve been supported in a very trustful way.” Sarah agrees and knows that the support she gets allows her to contribute in ways that matter. “I really have an impact on stabilizing the energy grid in Europe and in the world. We’re supporting how we change to a greener future.”