Veera Sasidharan chose to study engineering because he has always wanted to make a difference. That’s why he was thrilled to take on a project during his first placement on Rotork’s Graduate Programme aimed at improving the efficiency of material transportation across the workshop where he was based.

He said: “I became an engineer because I wanted to make an impact, and this project was ideal for me as it was not a theoretical exercise but a real hands-on experience where I not only had to devise a solution to a logistical challenge but also implement it. And the great thing about it is that it’s not only making things more efficient, it’s a sustainable solution too, helping to reduce some of Rotork’s carbon emissions.”

It’s this feeling of contributing and making a difference that has followed Veera through his placements around the company in varied roles that included Mechanical Engineer, Analyst and Project Manager.

In 2024, Veera worked as an Analyst at Rotork’s Bath facility, where he looked at service packages for customers to maintain their actuators. He explained: “This role showed me the difference I could make to our customers, helping them maintain and prolong the life of their working appliances and, indirectly, also contributing to sustainability and the environment.”

As part of the Graduate programme, Veera also worked as an R&D Engineer in Germany and collaborated on a business transformation project at the company’s factory in Langenzenn, about 15 miles (25 km) west of Nuremberg.

He said: “It’s been a great experience working with the engineering team to manage the changes that need to happen to support the project. It’s been rewarding working with the engineering team to drive improvements across documentation and lab organisation. I led the lab inventory setup to support 5S, built an Excel-based database for equipment tracking, and updated engineering drawings to align with the new template.”

In his two-year graduate engineer rotation, Veera has been supported by a mentor, Brian Menezes, Senior Project Manager. Brian helped him navigate the challenges of each role and offered valuable advice whenever needed. Their mentorship continued even after Veera transitioned into his permanent position. Beyond supporting his skill development, Brian is now helping Veera pursue his ambition of achieving Chartered Engineer status.

Veera said: “Right from the start of my graduate scheme, Brian has been helping me progress to Chartered status and has been giving me the opportunities to tick off the boxes that I need to become a Chartered engineer.

“That’s what is impressive about the culture at Rotork and how it values its employees – the emphasis on the development of the employee is phenomenal.

“Rotork is not shy about presenting you with different challenges, but it’s not done in a way where they just throw you in at the deep end as you always get lots of support. Another great aspect of working at Rotork is that you also get opportunities to collaborate and succeed with people who have different experiences and seniority. I’ve already worked with board members and other senior managers, and that’s been essential for my learning, because working with someone senior gives you lots of insight into what you should be doing in that senior role too. As a result, I have no problem walking up to any of our senior leaders if I need to and asking them a simple question – they are all very approachable and friendly."

Veera is impressed with Rotork’s peer-to-peer ‘recognition postcards’, where employees receive thanks for a job well done. “You get personalised messages from colleagues, highlighting the work that you’ve done and giving you credit where it’s due. I’ve also had postcards from senior managers, and that's very rewarding when you’re starting off in your career as it shows that you’re contributing.”

His feelings for the company are strong. He said: “I feel the team at Rotork really wants to help graduates have the opportunities to grow and progress, as they are always challenging us to develop the skill sets that will help us develop. Together with the amount of support and recognition we get for our work, this creates a very rewarding and positive work environment. I’m always happy to come to work!”

Veera has now successfully completed the two-year graduate scheme with Rotork as a Graduate Engineer. He has now transitioned into his permanent role as a Manufacturing Engineer, where he focuses on supporting and optimising manufacturing processes and production cells.