Hubert, our application engineer
Hubert Owusu works here at Polytec Ltd UK in Coventry as an application engineer. His main task is to ensure that customers’ needs are met to the highest standards, whether it’s in the form of measurement service, training, or technical support. He not only takes care of equipment purchased by UK customers but also delivers rental equipment to where it is needed. Hubert reports to the Managing Director, Chris Howe. In his day-to-day activities, he also liaises with other teams, our salespeople, and the Coventry office administration team.
Why engineering?
When asked what led him to engineering, Hubert confesses that he has always been very practical and hands-on. Like his father, he enjoyed putting things together and taking them apart. It was also his father who inspired him to work in a field that would be useful not just for him but for other people as well. Therefore, the decision to pursue an engineering career came quite naturally to him. Hubert firmly believes that engineering can change the world and solve a lot of the world’s problems, although not everyone can see that.
Hubert, originally Ghanaian but raised in Italy, did Engineering at A levels, then moved to the UK to study Mechanical Engineering at Coventry University. Talking about what he likes about engineering, he highlights its objective nature. “If something is true, it’s true across the whole board. There is no room for opinions,” he says. “Of course, people develop new theories, new formulas, etc., but apart from that, it is a universal language.”
Hubert’s Journey to Polytec
Hubert’s journey to Polytec is somewhat unique. His original plans after university mainly revolved around finding a graduate scheme that would be an 18- or 24-month programme. Therefore, Polytec was initially not on his radar.
It was only in the second half of his third year at Coventry University that he encountered Polytec for the first time. Hubert reminisces about the course that introduced him to Polytec equipment. “We were doing modal analysis, stress, and dynamics, and we used a modal hammer to do the testing and that modal hammer was provided by Polytec. So, that was my first encounter with the company. We didn’t even use VibSoft, which Polytec provided; instead, we used MATLAB, which the university provided. In that course, we used the modal hammer to determine the eigenvalues and eigenvectors and find the modal shapes. So, you had points where you hit, and you recorded the peaks on your software.”
Later, when Hubert came across a Polytec job advertisement on Indeed, he remembered the company and the equipment used in his university course. However, as the position wasn’t a graduate role and required three years’ experience, Hubert didn’t think his application would get to the next stage. To his surprise, due to his experience with Polytec equipment during his degree he was invited to an induction session with a few selected candidates. After an interview, Polytec offered him the application engineer role. Hubert had three offers at the time, but thankfully for us he chose to work for Polytec Ltd UK.
Why Polytec?
Hubert has been enjoying his job in our Coventry office. “I’m thriving here,” he says. He especially enjoys the diversity the job offers. “Every customer is different; their needs are different. Every application comes with its own, unique challenges. But what I like most about Polytec is our customers.” Hubert highlights that all Polytec customers are extremely knowledgeable and experts in their fields. Hubert has learnt a lot from all of them, whether academic or industrial professionals. They challenged him in ways he hadn’t expected, but finding a solution for each customer is immensely rewarding for him. “It is really interesting because we work with really knowledgeable people and not just typing on the computer all day. You get to travel and see the latest innovations people are working on, see what other people are doing and figure out how vibration can fit into all these applications, which is mind-blowing.” Hubert says his time at Polytec has been very enriching so far. “Every day is a new challenge, but it keeps my brain moving, it’s not boring. When I speak to some of my engineer friends, it makes me feel grateful for the environment I am in because some of my friends are really unhappy. You don’t want to be going to an office, always praying for Friday!”
Final Thoughts: Advantages of a Smaller Team
In closing, Hubert shares how much he values the trust that is placed in him by the MD and his team. There is no micromanagement at Polytec. People are given autonomy because there is trust across the board. Everyone knows what the other person is doing and trusts each other’s work. He says that he understands some people need to be micromanaged in order to stay productive, but that is not his ideal management style. “It is empowering, knowing that my MD trusts me, and my sales colleagues trust me. So, of course, I’m going to deliver.”
Hubert also enjoys the small group’s friendly atmosphere, where everyone knows everyone. He mentions that some people might prefer progression and climbing the ladder, but that is not everyone’s cup of tea. “I’m enjoying this journey. I’m loving it, to be honest.”