A great place for R&D, where everyone supports each other in a positive working culture

Namrata Kale was raised and educated in the city of Belgaum, which is home to many Indian automation companies. Perhaps it was inevitable then that Namrata would pursue a technical career. She now works out of Vanderlande’s Global Capability Centre in Pune, and enjoys working with some of the best automation technologies in the world.

Author

Namrata Kale

R&D Electrical Engineer

I’m an R&D electrical engineer and work exclusively in the warehousing domain. My main tasks are to design electrical cabinets, complete the relevant calculations and update our documentation.

I joined Vanderlande in April 2022, and was attracted by the opportunity to expand my knowledge of electrical design after working at a smaller organisation. I was lucky enough to enjoy inside knowledge about the company, because some of my friends already worked there. They were particularly enthusiastic about the culture and work-life balance, so there was no hesitation when I was offered the position.

Another thing they mentioned was how helpful senior members of the company are – and how they help younger employees. They were right about that! I work in an international team, who are based in The Netherlands, USA and India – and everyone supports each other, regardless of where they work.

If I have any concerns, my manager is always on hand to help, and you never hear the word “no” from anyone. This is important, because, there is always something new to learn in the field of R&D, and the helpfulness of my colleagues gives me confidence to ask questions.

We also hold regular knowledge-sharing sessions within R&D globally, which provide many stimulating insights about new technology. Furthermore, I have worked with the team at the Indian Innovation Centre, where we test different components and get real-time experience of using the equipment. My goal is to keep learning and one day become a product owner, which means taking responsibility for a Vanderlande solution, handling any queries and addressing problems.

I am really developing as a person at Vanderlande, not only in terms of increasing my technical knowledge, but also in improving my communication skills. Last year, I had the opportunity to be the host of our Annual Day – Jashn 2023, which involved engaging with an audience of over 1,500 people. I was nervous, and even though I have been public speaking since my college days, it was a real challenge, as well as a great experience.

In addition to my “day job”, I am a member of the Cultural Committee, helping to organise social events. We have many festivals in India and we like to celebrate them at work. Sometimes we can bring family members to the office and everyone gets involved in fun competitions. Working with the committee has also been a great way to meet new people across the organisation.

Like my friends, I have recommended Vanderlande as a great place to work to some engineers. I told them they will enjoy the teamwork and management style, as well as the positive working culture. I cannot imagine anyone would get bored at Vanderlande!

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