Meet our graduate Robert Georgiev

Tell us a little about yourself:

– I am 24 years old and most recently came from a five-year education in Industrial Engineering and Management at Chalmers in Gothenburg. I then began my participation in the Scandi Standards Graduate Program.

Why did you apply for the graduate program?

– For me, leadership and the ability to grow as an individual is very important. Hence, when I was looking at different options for graduate programs, I was very intrigued by the graduate program at Scandi Standard. Once reading more in detail about the program, it seemed like the perfect opportunity for me as it was focused on the leadership aspect, but also allowed for different activities that would grant me the possibility to travel, meet other colleagues from different countries, gain experience, networking, and much more. As I believed this was a good start for me in my career, I decided to apply straight away.

What kind of projects have you been involved in at Scandi Standard?

– At the beginning I was involved in projects related to the efficiency and output of the factory in Valla, Sweden, focusing on improving the quality, produced volume of products or efficiency of our machines/ processes. My very first project was related to chicken wings and once it was completed around March 2020, I was handed two new projects related to sustainability and customer demand.

– However, the story does not end there as I am now Acting Plant Manager of the Valla production plant (as of October 2020). This is an excellent opportunity for me to learn more about Scandi Standard and my leadership. Since it is an acting position, I have full responsibilities and duties as the plant manager before me, which is something that motivates me and makes me want to thrive in this role. Hence, I very much look forward to the future and what it will bring.

What have you learned?

– From my projects at Scandi Standard I have learned a lot about both the company but also myself, and I have been able to put my theoretical background into action. From my role as an Acting Plant Manager, I have also learned a lot about the organization, the history and culture of the Valla production plant and its people and their amazing ambition and loyalty. I would argue that as a student you always somewhat question what you learn, and how you will be able to put it into action later in life. But what I learned at Chalmers, from my five years of study in Industrial Engineering and Management, is something that I can truly say now that I apply in my everyday work. Yes, maybe I do not use my knowledge about materials and when they break under pressure, but I do use my knowledge about leadership, business development, different methods of working (agile, etc.), and much, much more.

– So believe me, the theory that we learn at school is very much applicable in real-life, but it is important to stay true to reality and understand the balance between theory and reality. And this is where I think most of my learnings have been, how to adapt the theory I have learned and the experience I have gained to change the reality I am in, and therefore also grow the company (and its employees) into something greater, but also myself and my personal development.

What are your thoughts regarding your journey ahead at Scandi?

– My future at Scandi Standard feels very bright, even though we have had this crazy year of 2020 with Covid-19. I feel that my journey is far from over, and I am just at the beginning of it. I have much more to learn, and much more to give, and in my current position I will truly develop into something greater and I am very keen on extracting every ounce of information that I can get since this is an excellent opportunity for me and my ambitions. As I always say: The sky is just the beginning (not the limit).