Blog: Meet Shivam – Part of GTK’s Next Generation
January 27, 2025 / Blog , Company Update
At GTK, we know that forging a career in the manufacturing sector can be difficult and getting that opportunity to get your foot in the door at the right company can often be challenging.
That’s why we’ve adapted our recruiting processes to focus on the new, emerging talent in the industry, and providing them the right opportunities to grow and develop in new roles. We've done this by investing in improved training and development plans, and worked to expose new talent to as many different areas as possible to allow them to specialise in the areas that are best suited to their skillsets.
One of our new hires is Shivam, who joined us having recently graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Coventry University. He joined our engineering team as a Production and Estimating Engineer, and has already established himself as a vital member of our team.
To highlight Shivam’s successes and experience as a graduate at GTK, we chatted to him about his time at GTK to date, the support he been given towards his personal and professional growth, and his goals for the future.
How long have you been at GTK?
"I’ve been at GTK for almost six months now – and I can honestly say that the time has flown by."
Why were you first drawn to working here?
"Seeing the variety of sectors that GTK was involved with interested me greatly as a recent graduate who wanted to learn how different industries operated. Additionally, getting the chance to experience a range of engineering practices sounded perfect to maximise my exposure.
"For instance, I started in GTK’s "downstream” team, working on customer enquiries and helping to cost projects. I’ve now moved over to the “upstream” team, swapping roles with another graduate engineer, Calum. Now, I’m working more closely with GTK’s production teams, analysing how to improve production efficiencies and enhance our build processes to streamline our manufacturing."
How did GTK support your transition from university into the workplace?
"Adapting from university work to industry seemed daunting at first. However, the training plan set in place helped me efficiently build up to where I needed to be in order to feel like a contributing member of the team.
"I've had numerous training sessions, which I’ve been able to apply when immersed in the role. I’ve also had a detailed breakdown of targets, which helps in keeping track of what aspects of the role I have learnt.
"It also helps that my more experienced colleagues are willing to spare time to explain things if I’m ever in a jam!"
"I want to learn as much as I can about GTK moving forward to help me become more effective in my role and help to contribute to the business’ success."
Can you describe the company culture so far?
"From the start, it has been a welcoming and friendly atmosphere. People are always really supportive and willing to help and share their knowledge or advice with me, which has been very useful in helping me learn all about GTK and the way it works."
What has been your biggest achievement at the company to date?
"One of the moments when I felt the most pride in my work was when I put together a detailed costing for some rather complex cable assemblies.
"More recently, I designed and 3D-printed a jig for a hand tool that was being used on a specific production job. The tool didn’t have a way to set a pressure level for crimping, meaning it was easy to apply too much force and accidentally damage the crimps, which were expensive.
"The jig I designed provided a physical stop at the exact level of pressure needed, and also had a guide to help line up the crimps. This improved the efficiency of our build times and, more importantly, cut down on the number of expensive crimps that were being scrapped."
What do you hope to achieve going forward?
"I want to learn as much as I can about GTK moving forward to help me become more effective in my role and help to contribute to the business’ success. Most importantly though I want to continue to do work that I can look back on and be proud of my achievements."
Find your career with GTK
Over his time with the company so far, Shivam has already established himself as a key member of the team, delivered some invaluable insight, and helped our internal processes become more efficient than ever.
Providing Shivam and other graduates within GTK the opportunity to explore a variety of areas within the manufacturing industry is vital in helping them to gain the exposure and experience needed to succeed.
We’re always on the hunt for new people to join our team. If you’re looking to start your career in manufacturing, look no further than GTK.