Paweł Kopczyk: From Mechanical to Software Design Engineer Is it possible to change within the organization? Of course! This is the story of Paweł Kopczyk, who started work in Etteplan as a mechanical designer in the testing department and is now a Software Design Engineer based in Wrocław, Poland. The project he originally joined lasted six months then the “bench” was waiting for him, but Paweł didn’t want to waste any time. When he met colleagues from other departments over coffee break, he became interested in the work of software developers. He had the beginnings of programming while studying mechatronics and also wrote his diploma thesis in microcontroller programming, so the subject was not completely unfamiliar to him. “After working in construction for years, I wanted to change something. I thought about moving towards programming, towards the front end, and so I started doing different courses that covered the tools and frameworks” recalls Paweł. In the meantime, Paweł showed his projects to one of the software managers. “Bartek told me what kind of skills are worth developing from the perspective of customer and business needs. I came to him with my projects that I was working on at home." The managers support helped a lot, along with other managers being open to Paweł’s changing he felt confident in what was to come. "I created a list of tasks of what I needed for my own development. I said it was really important to me to change the industry," "I knew nothing comes for free. I had to show my commitment and consistency, and I am proud of what I have accomplished.” The hard work paid off - Paweł came to join one of the software projects. He started out as a Junior Frontend Developer and over time his appetite grew, and various projects allowed him to develop his experience. Now for the last 2 years he has been working on an interesting project as a full-stack developer, “software is an area in which I want to continue to develop further,” Paweł emphasizes. Paweł appreciates Etteplan not only for its pleasant atmosphere and its security. “At work there is always a nice and friendly atmosphere. You can talk to anyone, ask for an advice, even over morning coffee in the kitchen. I also have a good sense of job security which is also very motivating. Flexibility in my work is the norm that helps to get life balance. The prevailing work culture and the variety of projects keeps the work continuously exciting.” Paweł is pleased to be able to work in an international company because he has contact with people from other countries, which allows him to learn about different languages and even opportunities to visit customers in Germany or Finland.
