Andrej Peršič - MSc graduate in Engineering and Management

Andrej, why did you decide to study Master in Engineering and Management (Second Level) at School of Engineering and Management? If you had to decide today, with all the experiences you have, would you make the same decision?

I decided to study Engineering and management for two reasons. The first is that I found the program interesting and suitable for me, because it covered many areas and knowledge and at the same time allowed me to choose elective courses during my studies that were of particular interest to me. In this way, I was somehow able to influence and shape the engineer to my liking.

The other is proximity to home. I was 24 when I decided to study. During those years, my high school classmates were already finishing their studies, and I was already a full-time employee. I terminated my employment and devoted myself to my studies, looking for a job through the student service. Of course, it would be nice to go to Ljubljana or the Coast, but I know for myself that it was better to stay in my hometown.

I wouldn’t change my choice today, I think that was one of my better decisions. Just like one of the better decisions was to leave the study of Management I had previously attended.

At which company do you work for and what are your job tasks? What are your most important tasks? Is your work more routine and repetitive or is it varied?

I am employed in company AquafilSLO, d. o. o., which is part of the Aquafil Group, present in 8 countries around the world. Our primary activity is the production of polymer chains (granules) from recycled materials, which are then used in the textile industry for the manufacture of clothing, footwear and carpets for floor surfaces of business and domestic premises. Products from our programs are also present in the automotive industry.

My work is the head of warehouse of the Econyl plant in Ajdovščina. The main tasks include the organization and care for the smooth process of work in warehouses and production. I take care of optimizing work tasks and processes, when problems arise, I look for solutions. I take care of 30 employees. The work could be described as a varied routine.

With whom do you work the most when doing your job and what are the biggest challenges? How did your school prepare you for that? What did you like the most about studying?

In the warehouse we have input materials, finished products, spare parts, packaging, so more than just the warehouse we are a kind of support service for other departments - production, maintenance, investment, commercial, logistics, freight forwarding, invoicing department. I am in daily contact with all the departments involved, as well as with the heads of the individual plants. Outside the company, I mostly work with the managers of external warehouses and various service departments. Probably my job is one of the few where I am in daily contact with both ordinary workers and directors, I am like a kind of link between all departments.

I could say that the School of Engineering and Management prepared me for this profession with the breadth of subjects we had. The programme of engineering and management gives me a breadth of knowledge and that comes in very handy today, especially when I communicate with different profiles of people, which I think is the hardest part of my job.

As part of your studies, you also had a wide selection of electives. Which subjects did you choose? Did you encounter the content of these subjects later in your work?

Decision support models and systems, Optimization of resources and processes, Business English, Data Mining. I believe that I use the knowledge gained from these subjects almost every day.

To whom would you recommend this study and profession?

I would recommend this study to anyone who wants a broader knowledge in various fields. The study and profession are interesting for those who today may not yet know what exactly they would like to do, or where they will be offered a job in the future, this profession is for those who are not afraid of challenges because they are well study prepared.