“This is the 6th conference on Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering and this year we tried to make some improvements”, says Rodrigo Fernandes, president of NAEN – Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Student Group. The conference took place on 6th and 7th March, at Técnico – Alameda campus (Salão Nobre).

The Técnico alumni Mónica Teles (Damen Shypyards Group), Luísa Figueiredo (Van Oossanen), Francisco Rita (Chalmers University of Technology), David Domingos (Van Oossanen) and Ulla Machado- Damhaug (Moss Maritime) shared their experiences and talked about opportunities. “Técnico gave me the essential skills to work everywhere; I realise that when I work with my colleagues from Europe”, said Francisco Rita. “Técnico graduates will always be well accepted”, stressed Mónica Teles. “I know from my own experience that problem solving skills and teamwork are highly valued by companies”, said David Domingos. “Employers don’t expect you to know everything or that you are the best engineers in the world. They expect that you have a willingness to keep learning”, highlighted Luísa Figueiredo.

According to Rodrigo Fernandes: “We try to focus on the link between universities and the labour market because we know that students have some doubts on this subject”. Spark Agency organised a workshop on business communication and students had the opportunity to attend a networking session. The workshop by Tony Castro, the renowned designer of yachts and sailboats, and the lecture by Dinis Rodrigues and David Domingos, leader and founder of Técnico Solar Boat, were the highlights of the second day.

This conference is part of Técnico Career Weeks and is gaining increasing importance year after year. “I was very proud to see a large audience this year and to see that the participants were really interested in our guests speakers. I feel that the balance is extremely positive”, said the president of NAEN.