Laszlo Banyik - Electrical and Electronic Engineering

My current role is basically taking Auxiliary Systems in a HVDC project from installation, through safe energisation, testing and integration, until they are fully operational and ready to be handed over to the client.

I work with systems such as Medium and Low Voltage switchgear, AC and DC power distribution, UPS and climate systems, as well as integrating these with SCADA and HMI.

Each system requires different tests according to the relevant standards and project test plans. For example, with Medium Voltage switchgear we carry out visual and mechanical checks of circuit breakers, earthing switches and disconnectors, test mechanical and electrical interlocking, carry out primary and secondary injections on CTs and VTs, test protection relays, and verify signals to SCADA through both hardwired connections and industrial communication networks.

So, in simple terms, my job is to make sure these systems are installed correctly, tested safely and working properly together before they are handed over to the client.

If I am completely honest, I would not say that completing the Electrical Engineering degree directly secured my current role. However, it provided the foundation that allowed me to begin building my career and ultimately reach the position I am in today.

One particularly valuable aspect of university was the opportunity to participate in several smaller internships. Although these opportunities may have seemed relatively modest at the time, they allowed me to gain practical experience and build a stronger portfolio and CV before graduating.

I also made a conscious effort to approach my assignments and examinations to the highest standard I could achieve. My final-year project became a particularly important part of that journey, ultimately receiving an IET Prize and winning GradEX, which helped demonstrate both my technical ability and commitment to engineering.

The degree and the skills I developed helped me secure my first professional role, where I worked on hyperscale data centre projects across Europe, particularly in Sweden and Spain. That experience gave me exposure to large-scale electrical construction projects and allowed me to develop practical knowledge that cannot always be gained in a classroom.

It also gave me the opportunity to work alongside and learn about major organisations and manufacturers within the electrical industry, including companies such as Schneider Electric, Siemens and Hitachi. Just as importantly, those projects helped me understand which areas of Electrical Engineering interested me most

Therefore, I would describe the degree as the foundation rather than the final destination. It opened the first door, and the experience gained afterwards allowed me to progressively move towards larger and more technically challenging projects.

It offers a stable and rewarding career, but more importantly, it is a profession where learning never really stops. Technology continues to develop extremely quickly, particularly within areas such as renewable energy, automation, power electronics and modern transmission systems.

My personal interest, however, really started while working as a maintenance technician in an automated warehouse

Equipment would regularly require troubleshooting, whether that involved sensors, motors, automation equipment or systems controlled through PLCs. I became fascinated by how such a large and complex warehouse could be controlled through PLC-based systems and how the operation of the facility could be monitored and controlled through an HMI.

Rather than simply fixing a problem when something stopped working, I wanted to understand why it had happened and how the entire system worked.

That curiosity was what ultimately pushed me towards Electrical and Electronic Engineering. I started looking at university courses in my area because I wanted to understand these systems at a much deeper level.

I was around 27 at the time, and because of my personal circumstances, the traditional apprenticeship route was no longer particularly practical for me. University therefore became the route through which I could make that career transition.

Yes. I initially considered the apprenticeship route very seriously and, in many ways, I still believe it is an excellent route into Engineering.

One advantage is obviously financial, as it can avoid much of the financial burden associated with university education. More importantly from an engineering perspective, apprenticeships provide continuous exposure to real equipment, projects, working environments and practical engineering problems.

My circumstances were slightly unusual because I was making this decision around the COVID period. Employment opportunities were difficult at the time, and despite approaching several organisations, I was unsuccessful on several occasions in securing the type of opportunity I wanted.

Eventually, I had to decide. Rather than remain at home waiting indefinitely for an opportunity, I decided to invest that time in myself and start the university degree.

Looking back, I believe both university and apprenticeships can provide excellent routes into Engineering. Which one is best depends heavily on the individual's circumstances, opportunities and preferred way of learning.

What attracted me to Electrical and Electronic Engineering was partly the enormous range of opportunities available within the field.

Electricity is fundamental to almost every part of modern infrastructure, from power generation, transmission and distribution through to renewable energy, industrial manufacturing, data centres, automation and control systems.

As a result, there are countless different types of projects and technical disciplines to explore, which means there is always something new to learn.

There was also a more personal reason. When I was younger, I remember watching programmes about major engineering and construction projects on channels such as Discovery and National Geographic. I always imagined being one of the engineers on those large projects, wearing the PPE, standing next to major electrical equipment and being involved in actually making these systems work. It is quite satisfying to realise that this is now very close to what I actually do.

Another aspect that continues to fascinate me is that electricity, electronics and communication systems can almost seem invisible. You cannot necessarily see what is happening, yet extremely sophisticated systems are operating behind the equipment.

I particularly enjoy the challenge of integrating equipment from different manufacturers into a common control system. Different field devices may use different industrial communication protocols, yet they must exchange information reliably with protection, control, SCADA and HMI systems. Understanding how those signals travel through a system, how the logic processes them, identifying why something is not behaving as expected, and ultimately making the complete system operate correctly is something I find extremely rewarding.

My final-year project.

At the beginning, I thought a final year project had to be something extremely complicated or completely new. My project ended up having many different parts, including design, some coding, soldering and assembling circuits, building an enclosure, testing and then representing the system through an HMI-type interface.

There were many times when I hit a brick wall and had no idea what to do next. I probably gave up in my head a few times, but I always went back and tried again.

The biggest thing it taught me was not to look at a complicated system as one huge problem. Break it down into smaller parts, understand each part and eventually put everything back together.

I still use the same approach today. Real engineering projects never go perfectly. There are always problems and "lessons learned", and the important thing is understanding what went wrong and how to do it better next time.

Honestly, I was nervous when I first entered industry, and I do not think many graduates feel completely prepared for their first engineering role. University provides a foundation, but until you enter industry, it is difficult to fully understand the scale and complexity of the projects, equipment and responsibilities you will encounter.

My advice to new graduates would therefore be not to worry about knowing everything.

In my experience, what matters most at the beginning of your career is your willingness to learn. Keep asking questions, keep challenging yourself to understand how things work, and do not be afraid to admit when you do not know something. Gradually, the different pieces begin to come together.

I would strongly encourage students to pursue internships and other opportunities to work on engineering-related projects while studying.

Even relatively short placements can provide practical context to what is being taught at university, build confidence and give students valuable experiences to discuss during graduate interviews.

The final year project is also particularly important. Many graduate recruitment processes include a presentation or detailed discussion around it. Employers are not necessarily looking for the most complicated or impressive project. They want to understand whether you genuinely understand your own work, how you approached problems, what decisions you made and whether you can communicate technical information confidently.

Since graduating, I am particularly proud of progressing from university into hyperscale data centre projects across Europe and subsequently into major electrical infrastructure projects. Being able to look at the equipment and systems I am now responsible for commissioning and comparing that with where I started is something I find very rewarding.

I would describe it almost like starting in the fourth division of football and gradually working your way towards the Premier League.

When you begin studying Engineering, it is difficult to appreciate just how much there is to learn or where the degree might eventually take you. After graduating and entering industry, particularly during the first few years, the rate of development can be incredibly fast.

Every project introduces you to new equipment, technologies, standards, manufacturers and engineering challenges.

At the same time, you begin building a professional network and meeting people with decades of experience across many different disciplines.

For me, the journey has been a combination of education, practical experience, networking, making mistakes, asking questions and continually progressing towards bigger and more complex projects.

The more I have learned, the more I have also realised how much more there still is to learn, which is one of the things I enjoy most about the profession.

I want to stay involved with large engineering projects, whether that is power generation, transmission, distribution, HVDC or renewable energy.

Now I am working on projects in the UK, but I have worked abroad before and really enjoyed it. It has its own challenges, but you get to work with different people, experience different cultures and see more of the world, so international projects could definitely be something I return to later.

My idea of being an Engineer has also changed a lot. I used to think that if someone was an "Electrical Engineer", they basically knew everything about Electrical Engineering.

Now I realise nobody knows everything.

I once met a power systems engineer with more than 40 years of experience. His knowledge in his area was incredible, but when I asked him something about networking and communications, he simply said that it wasn't his area.

That really stayed with me. Being an Engineer is not about knowing everything. It is about being willing to keep learning, asking questions and figuring out problems throughout your career.