We all aspire to achieve a meaningful career at a great company. In today’s article, we get to see how Mouhcine Kahziz transitioned from Application Engineer to Business Consultant at AutoForm, fulfilling his many skills and interests across domains.
Fig. 1: Mouhcine Kahziz, Business Consultant, AutoForm
Starting as an Application Engineer
Mouhcine’s professional path began with the completion of an engineering degree in 2011, followed by a PhD in 2015. He joined AutoForm that same year as an Application Engineer, where his primary responsibilities included pre-sales demonstrations, delivering both basic and advanced training, and providing technical support to customers. Whether responding to questions from customers or engaging face-to-face during business trips or trainings, Mouhcine developed a penchant for exchanging knowledge.
In addition to working with typical customers like OEMs or toolmakers, Mouhcine played a pivotal role in strengthening AutoForm’s relationships with universities, helping to develop training exercises still used to educate students and professors.
Career Growth at AutoForm
Through his expertise and dedication, Mouhcine advanced to Senior Application Engineer within four years. In this advanced role, he assumed responsibilities as the local technical product manager for certain AutoForm solutions, notably increasing his interaction with customers in the French market.
AutoForm’s strategic evolution introduced a Corporate Consultant Team to support the digitalization of stamping and assembly processes. Their aim is to understand each customer’s specific pain points and propose virtual solutions to alleviate them. The team thoroughly analyzes the current (“as is”) process and proposes a target (“to be”) process to save customers time, money, and effort while increasing the final quality of their stamped parts and BiW assemblies.
With his proven track record of building strong relationships and delivering exceptional training, Mouhcine was a natural fit for the team, joining as a Business Consultant in 2021.
Mouhcine’s Experience within the Corporate Consultant Team
Mouhcine quickly adapted to his role in the Corporate Consultant Team, providing invaluable assistance. He collaborates with OEMs across various countries, including France, Spain, and India, in both in-person and online meetings.
Mouhcine works closely with AutoForm’s local technical teams and key customer managers to understand their current operations and propose potential solutions to their issues or improvements to their processes. He has encountered a diverse array of customer issues, ensuring the job remains far from monotonous! The opportunity to educate customers on avoiding future problems through the use of simulation is particularly rewarding.
In terms of personal growth, Mouhcine’s expertise continues to expand through regular internal meetups at AutoForm, which bring together colleagues at different levels. These networking events are crucial for improving both technical and business knowledge and serve as a great motivation tool. Mouhcine is especially grateful to Senior Process Consultant Bernd Glasbrenner, for his technical insights, and to Pierre de Ponteves, Corporate Strategic Project Director, and Vincent Ferragu, Country Manager for France, for their guidance on business strategies. With these enriched skills, Mouhcine has excelled in his role as Business Consultant.
Key Features of Working at AutoForm
Having explored Mouhcine’s career trajectory, we gain a practical understanding of what a typical path might entail at AutoForm. Here are several key features of working with the company:
Trust from Management
At AutoForm, trust from management extends all the way to the top levels. Your ideas and proposals receive the attention they deserve, enabling deep engagement and collaborative refinement and implementation. This inclusive approach applies uniformly across all positions.
For example, Mouhcine’s idea for defining and summarizing a macro process within the Corporate Consultant Team is now being implemented globally, enhancing operations across the board. His contributions are also visible in presentations used by top management to showcase AutoForm’s capabilities to OEM customers. This culture promotes job satisfaction and boosts employee motivation.
Opportunities for Skill Enhancement
AutoForm organizes regular meetup seminars for colleagues from various regions to exchange knowledge and tips. These interactions, ranging from junior to senior roles, are invaluable for theoretical and practical learning alongside skill development and fruitful discussions.
Customer interactions
Employees at AutoForm frequently engage with customers, not just domestically but internationally, reflecting the global nature of today’s industry. This type of exposure to actual industrial processes plays a crucial role in enhancing overall understanding of system operation and improvement. Application Engineers and Corporate Consultants frequently solve real-life production problems with their customers.
High Growth Potential
The metal stamping industry is projected to grow at approximately 4% CAGR, with the market expected to expand from $206.3 billion in 2022 to $257.1 billion by 2028 [1]. This indicates a general upward trend in the global demand for metal stamping. Even so, AutoForm is outpacing this growth, continuously recruiting and promoting experienced employees from within. In less than nine years, Mouhcine has already been promoted twice.
The company’s focus on internal growth is a catalyst for employee retention, without the need to seek out new companies for better pay or career advancement. While this certainly benefits the company, employees also enjoy advantages like improved crew morale, productivity, and a robust company culture.
Dynamic Work Environment
Diverse interactions with a variety of customers and colleagues within the company keep the job from becoming monotonous. The vibrant atmosphere at AutoForm, combined with its strategic and collaborative problem-solving approach, makes the job both interesting and rewarding.
Conclusion
In summary, a career at AutoForm is marked by dynamism, rewarding experiences, and a commitment to growth and continuous learning. Employees at all levels are empowered by trust, fostering an environment where innovative ideas are valued and implemented. Regular opportunities through seminars and interactions between senior and junior staff enhance knowledge and skills, keeping everyone updated with the latest industry developments. Direct customer interactions provide practical insights into real-world industrial processes, further enriching the employee experience.
AutoForm’s dedication to internal growth is clear in its promotion practices and significant growth opportunities. This internal mobility not only benefits the company by retaining talent but also boosts employee morale and productivity. Moreover, the variety of interactions and problem-solving tasks make the job engaging and rewarding. As illustrated by Mouhcine’s career progression, AutoForm offers a fulfilling and vibrant workplace where employees can thrive and contribute meaningfully to the company’s success.
References:
[1] Metal stamping market, accessed 29 February 2024, <https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/metal-stamping-market-43712960.html>
