Semcon StoriesProduct Development
Going halfway around the world to Semcon
Eden Rafealov was living a comfortable life in New Zealand when he felt that he needed more discomfort in his life to be able to grow as a person. This is his story, taking him halfway across the globe, to being an electronic systems designer at Semcon.
I think there are two kinds of people in the world. Some who enjoy the feeling of comfort in life, where everything is safe and easy. Then there are people who are completely the opposite, where the pursuit of the difficult things and fear of the unknown is the driving force in life.
Everything being easy and just not enough
I found myself at a comfortable place in life after a few years of the same old job in New Zealand. However, a little voice in my head made me realise that my life actually lacked something. I needed something more challenging, something different. This was my push to become a person who seeks discomfort.
Initially I thought that once I got comfortable it would be extremely difficult to move on and let go. I guess fear of failure kept me right where I was. But moving on was what I wanted and finally one day I thought “what is the worst thing that can happen if I try to do something different and fail?”.
Renewable energy and the choice of Sweden
The answer is of course not so daunting. If I were to fail, I could try something else, or even return to where I was before. At least I would have tried and probably learned things along the way. Since I needed to move to a new city, why not move to a new country as well? An interest in renewable energy has always driven me and I wanted to work in the forefront of that area. This interest gave me directions towards Sweden.
Well worth the risk
I was able to come to Sweden in search of something that would challenge me through constantly changing problems. And I was lucky enough to find the embodiment of that here at Semcon. I have just gone through my first year at Semcon and in Sweden. It was a quick decision for me to come here, based off a desire to try something different and new to me, leaving the comfortable and known behind.
The time I have had so far at Semcon has been even better than I thought it would be. The work, the people, and the environment that the company builds is top tier. But to make it here in the first place I needed to get out of my comfort zone and take a risk – a risk well worth it in the end. Not being afraid to fail has taken me halfway around the globe, reaping the fruits of seeking discomfort.
About Eden
Title: Electronic Systems Architect
Education: Masters in Engineering (Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand)
Worked at Semcon since: 2018
I have most fun at work when I…: …am challenged with new and difficult tasks. This is where I think I learn and enjoy engineering the most.
