Karl-Johan Bjelkenas

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering with specialization in Manufacturing Operations, Lund University Faculty of Engineering LTH, Sweden

The will to understand and learn how things work was always inside me. That’s why I always used to wreck my toys to see what was underneath the shell.
 Technology has always been a major part of my life and when I heard about the industrial high school at Volvo Aero I knew it was just right for me. The school gave me all the preparation that I needed and when I finished my studies there was a clear path into the company. The time that followed in one of our manufacturing facilities was extremely important both during my further studies and in the engineering role of today.

The opportunity to work during summer and go back to school during the rest of the year has given me a great understanding of the industry and lots of experience.  
My master thesis was carried out within the company and in close connection to the subjects that I’ve been studying. The young graduate program has really been a kick-start of my career both in terms of getting inside the company but also in personal development

The young graduate program has so far exceeded my expectations and it has been a tremendous experience. The program incorporates a great deal of freedom and it is up to you to shape your own future. The first month within the company was with the Cost & Capital Improvement initiative. Reducing product cost is most essential to achieve our strategic objective, a profitable growth and still keep the capital on a reasonable level.

My following period at the company was with the Business Development & Sales were I got to learn how new business opportunities are being handled. For the moment I’m working together with Product Management team in order to take control of product cost, delivery performance and capital efficiency. The job is most interesting and a real challenge on a daily basis.

The approaching internship with one of our partners will add further experience and deeper understanding of our customers’ need. It is also a good opportunity to bring back new knowledge to our company and to build bridges with our partners around the world. Last of all I would really encourage all young graduates to apply for the Volvo Aero Young Graduate Program.
Working in aerospace industry is quite an experience and every day has great new challenges. 

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