Interview with Peter (45), project manager and deputy group head for Line Planning in the Overhead Line Construction business unit
In the 23 years that Peter has been working for the company, he has seen quite a number of changes. Job descriptions, responsibilities and the industry as a whole have transformed over all those years and therefore impacted his career. Over the course of time, he made personal decisions about his career and recognised that his focus is on project management in Engineering. It became apparent that a career step backwards can definitely mean personal progress.
Peter, how has your professional life at EQOS Energie developed over time?
I started as a draughtsman for the company and completed a curriculum in geoinformatics in distance learning at the same time. Through my practical work in surveying, I got deeper into the subject matter of overhead line construction. Technical progress has changed surveying technology such that I got more into project work over time, became a project manager and was promoted to group head. However, after two-and-a-half years, I decided to go back into practical project management, which is my real interest. Today, I am more content than before and feel I did everything right.
To what extent has line planning and the entire industry changed over the years?
Ten years ago, we were still facing the question in line planning as to which tasks we should execute in the future. The large power lines were constructed and supply in Europe was largely secure. What came suddenly was the energy transformation and with it many new tasks. Today I am an energy transformation employee and make a direct contribution to the transformation. Now it is part of my job to accompany the customers through the challenging market. You could say that we in line planning develop the lines for the electricity transmission from the North to the South.
How would you describe your activities in line planning to other people?
I plan the lines for the large overhead lines. This includes their location, the space requirement and the assessment of permits. The technical prerequisites and environmental demands further increased over the years, which is why the requirements for planning are no longer as simple as they used to be. Often, the project work is about creating compromises between planning legislation, property rights and environmental law. We need to take all of this into account during planning in order to develop solutions for line construction and to satisfy our customers.
It is not my salary that makes me successful. What’s important is that I enjoy doing my job.
What prompted you to stay with EQOS Energie all these years?
There has been the one or other offer over the years, but I never really considered a change. Even though I work an office job, the practical work has always been what I particularly enjoy. In our company, I had the opportunity from the outset to combine both. The collegial cooperation was also a reason to stay. There are many colleagues with whom I have been working together for a long time and the collaboration is very good. The social environment contributes largely to the general satisfaction. Ultimately, it is not my salary that makes me successful. What’s important is that I enjoy doing my job.