Eugene Pershutin

"I want my team, and all employees of Itelma, to become world-class specialists – it is important for me."

Eugene is one of those specialists who came to Itelma as a student and literally grew up in the company. Now Eugene is the head of the department, who manages a team of more than 30 people in different cities of the country. We share his story on how to become a real professional and managerial engineer from scratch.

How did you get employed by Itelma?

I was lucky to get a job in our laboratory as a student. I started as a laboratory assistant, came here several times a week for half a day. Then I  became a technical writer, an engineer. And I passed my first project before I received my master's degree, which, by the way, I did at work in the laboratory. All doors are open for students at Itelma - here you can gain such practical experience that is difficult to get anywhere else.

What was your way of delopment in the company?

As I came as a student, I managed to apply the knowledge gained at the institute in practice, before I had time to forget everything. The help of senior colleagues and the desire to develop played a big role. And what is most important–the desire to accomplish my aims.

Gradually, I grew up to a manager. But a good engineer is not necessarily a good manager, so there was a lot to learn. It wasn't easy, and it's not always easy now. Probably one of the hardest things about being a good engineer is not hogging the blanket, trying to do all the work yourself, because it seems that you will do everything better only by  yourself.

I have come to the conclusion that it’s better to try to delegate as much as possible, trust the team and transfer knowledge. I give them the opportunity to make their own decisions. I help, but I try to provide more freedom and responsibility. Thanks to this, young specialists become professionals and this is very pleasing.

What are your goals now?

Itelma is heading for the international level. We apply modern international standards in our work, we follow the requirements of the European community. Therefore, now the main goal is to help the company evolve so that we can easily compete with the leading manufacturers of automotive components outside Russia. I want my team, and all employees of Itelma, to become world-class specialists – it is important for me.

To do this, we must work as a team and support each other in the work, no matter how difficult it is. I think we are on the right track!