What I’m doing now is nothing like the job I had when I started
My favourite thing about working at Intel is the diversity—the diversity of the work and the diversity of people. There’s no such thing as an average day for me. It’s a challenging environment, but I enjoy the variety. In construction at Intel, you might have a plan and it will all change by half-past eight in the morning. It means that you’re constantly having to rethink how you approach things - not just what you’re doing but how you’re doing it. We might be working on emergency response projects or large refurbishments. I don’t think I’ve ever put in two days that were the same, which keeps things interesting.
Twenty-five years ago, I was employed by a contract company doing work for Intel. I was onsite for eight years before I came on staff here. The biggest difference between being a vendor and working directly for Intel is that you’re more involved in the decision-making process. I enjoy working toward a goal. If you walk around the site, you’ll see lots of work we’ve done over the years. My team impacts many of the front-facing projects, like the café refurbishments and installing lifts. But our main job is to come up with solutions to save time and money. It’s amazing to see how much this place has changed thanks to our work. Making something from nothing is the most exciting part of my job.
During my time here, I’ve been able to travel a lot. I was involved in building projects in Switzerland, Stockholm, London and Dubai. It was interesting to explore and meet Intel employees who live and work in different countries. Training is a big thing in Intel, too. They funded me to finish my college education, which has allowed me to progress in my career. Learning is encouraged and I think you’d be foolish not to take the chance to grow and progress.
I would really recommend joining Intel. One of the biggest benefits for me has been the opportunity to change careers several times, without having to leave the company. What I’m doing now is nothing like the job I had when I started more than 20 years ago. Intel is good at letting you move around, which keeps things fresh. As the site continues to evolve, there will always be plenty of opportunities. I’m sure the next few years will be busy and full of new projects. I look forward to it!