Semcon StoriesEnergy
Interest in music led to a career as electrical engineer
His interest in music led to a consulting position at a nuclear power plant. Of course, there are many steps between Daniel Marklund’s fascination with sound technology in high school and the role as an electrical engineer he now has at Forsmark’s nuclear power plant. But that was where the journey began.
The master’s degree programme in electrical engineering at Uppsala University was brand new the year I started. I was very focused on music back then and found everything related to sound technology exciting. Today I’m working for one of the largest electricity producers in Sweden and I must say that I have use for what I learned during my studies. I often need to do calculations and think about whether stuff makes sense and how it can be connected. One of the most rewarding parts of my job is that I can, or must, be creative and find new solutions.
This is not the first time I have worked at the power plant, this is my ”round two” as I like to call it. Me and my colleagues are all working towards the same goal: to manage the nuclear power plant and all property around it. It is of the utmost importance that components don’t break down, and therefore it requires being foresighted and having a plan to replace parts before they become unusable. However, this is not without challenges, as many parts are no longer manufactured. Therefore, there is always a hunt for new components going on.
During the almost two years that I have worked at Semcon, I’ve had the opportunity to work in both large and small projects. As a whole, I think that both set-ups suit me, but if I have to choose between the two I think I would prefer more extensive projects – like the one I am working on now. What attracts me is longer time to stay on each activity and to be able to focus my energy and effort in one direction instead of having to prioritize between different tasks.
People are generally too scared to ask questions. Noone really gets annoyed if you wonder things, instead I think that it shows interest and commitment to the task. Well, unless you ask a thousand questions about the same thing, of course. However, in all seriousness, in an environment like the one I work in, there is little or no room for mistakes. It is important to keep track of what you are doing and therefore I see my fearlessness and social ability as an advantage.
Easily getting into a new social group is an important quality as a consultant. I am part of the Energy group at Semcon Uppsala-Gävle and I believe that cohesion within that team, between the consultants and the manager, is also of importance. Being able to help each other and collaborate on assignments is valuable – we possess a large and broad competence, which allows us to develop both individually and as a company.
I don’t know how common it is for a career in electrical engineering to be born out of an interest in music, nor what the next stop on my journey will be. I am happy with the responsibilities and tasks I have today, but it is not impossible that you will see me in an assignment somewhere between hardware and software in the future.
About Daniel
Title: Electrical engineer
Education: Master of Science in Electronics
Started at Semcon: August 2018
I have most fun at work when: I get to collaborate with my nice colleagues and feel that I am developing in my role.
