From seeking out extra maths tasks at school to working on projects to reduce emissions

Graduate Electrical Engineer Mirale Iloh works for IET Corporate Partner INEOS FPS. After working as a graduate engineer at a power distribution company in Nigeria, he moved to the UK to undertake his MSc and is now looking ahead to becoming chartered.

What inspired you to become an engineer or technician?

Can you describe your career in engineering so far?

I started as a graduate engineer at Ikeja Electric, a power distribution company in Nigeria. The graduate programme exposed me to both the technical and commercial sides of the business, giving balance to my experience and understanding of the distribution sector of the electricity value chain.

After my training, I was promoted to a power systems optimisation engineer, and I was responsible for developing technical and commercial designs for new connections to the network as well as network upgrades and strengthening. Another aspect that made my role interesting was leading new technological projects in the technical space aimed at enhancing operation and maintenance activities and matching our operations to global standards.

To further develop my engineering career and to understand how engineering is practised on a global scale, I enrolled for an MSc at Glasgow Caledonian University and on completion of the program, I joined INEOS FPS as an electrical engineer.

At INEOS, I’m responsible for maintaining the integrity of our electrical assets to support the plant availability for crude oil processing and transportation.

What has been the biggest success in your career?      

At Ikeja Electric, I led two new technological projects which impacted the operations and reduced the turn-around time for restoring supply on occurrence of a fault. One is the installation of Fault Passage Indicators on our high voltage lines and the second is the retrofitting of our distribution transformers for remote control and access. The projects involved working with contractors and OEMs abroad, collaborating with colleagues and keeping track of the project deliverables, without impairing on safety and quality. The feeling of accomplishing such a feat successfully was very rewarding.

I was also delighted by the CEO award, recognising the impact of the project to the business.

What has been the biggest challenge?   

Joining INEOS FPS, with the majority of employees been Scottish, was a big culture change. Understanding the Scottish accent presented a challenge which affected my communication and interaction with colleagues.

To overcome this, I met with some of my non-Scottish colleagues who appear to have gotten over the difficulty and I understood from our discussion that it is absolutely normal and that I would adjust in due time. Compared to when I started, I have improved my understanding of the accent and I’m quite optimistic of how easy it will be in no time. I also appreciate the courtesy of my Scottish colleagues who accommodate the pain of having to repeat themselves to enable my understanding.

Are there any exciting projects you are currently working on?

At present, I’m working on a project to replace the generator supply on some of our assets with supply from the plant. The project is quite significant as it will remove the recurring costs of renting the generators and the fuel for running them. The project is also significant to meeting our sustainability goals as it will help reduce our overall site emissions.

It is a big project and I look forward to the experience, research, and learnings it will bring!

Do you participate in any other career-related activities, such as mentoring or volunteering?

I recently joined the INEOS Scotland Energy Network (ISEN), which engages with the local schools to advocate and encourage interests in STEM courses and communities to create awareness on their roles towards sustainability and achieving our net zero targets.

What does the future look like and what are your goals?

The big thing for me in my career journey is to become chartered. INEOS provides an enabling environment and support through mentorship, to encourage young engineers to attain chartership and become professionally recognised.

I have started the application process and keenly working on my competences. I have also identified some personal development plans towards achieving the goal.

Do you have any advice for those looking for their first role in engineering and technology?

The first thing is to identify your niche in the engineering field, matching your interest, training, and skillsets. After discovering your niche, research the companies that are looking for the skills, noting the qualities that they are looking for in a prospective candidate. Work on closing the possible gaps as necessary and you can be sure that you will be invited for an interview.

In addition, graduate schemes are common among engineering companies and it’s a great pipeline for young engineering resource into the industries. Research the companies and schemes that align to your niche and prepare adequately. It’s also pertinent to mention the need to maintain a professional online presence on LinkedIn as recruiters nowadays source talents from such platforms.

Bonus advice – INEOS has an engineering graduate scheme and you’re welcome to apply!

How has your IET Membership helped you in your career so far?

IET membership has provided me a platform to connect to other professionals and share experience. The free lunch and learn programmes for members has also helped me to improve amongst others, my negotiation skills.

On the chartership journey, Career Manager is a great tool that has helped me to keep track of my development and measure my progress. The BS EN 7671 is also a handy resource to consult when I’m working on projects to confirm the industrial standards for my designs.