Tell me a bit about yourself
My name is Julie Mjellelid Berg, I am 24 years old and live in Sandnes and I am a mechanic here at IK-Group. Outside of work, I like to spend time with friends and family, go on trips to experience new things and go to the gym. I love music and I love going to concerts when I can. I also love motorcycles and soon I will finish my motorcycle certificate which is exciting as it will allow drive around the whole world, I’m looking forward to doing that!
Tell me about your background, what got you into the industry?
I have always been a very practical person and enjoy learning through doing, I’m not so interested in theory and sitting still with work. With that in mind, when it was time to choose what I wanted to study, I found the decision easy and I went into the mechanics industry and studied Process Operating and Industrial Mechanics in Stavanger, which has taken me into a few different roles in different fields so far. I have worked in the aluminum industry, the battery industry and currently the energy industry. Through this great experience my career has allowed me to be part of some very exciting projects, one example that sticks out to me is building Johan Castberg at the shipyard, that was very exciting to be part of and a real career highlight. The road to where I am now has been very exciting and I am very much enjoying my role as a mechanic within IK-Group. Every day is so different.
What is a typical day like as a Mechanic at IK-Group?
The days are very different, which I love. Typically, the process starts with being assigned to a project and we will start with testing and checking equipment, that is a very interesting process which can take a while. We always have to ensure we build the best solutions for our clients. When everything is ready to be sent out into the field, we go out to do the job offshore or onshore to complete it. Sometimes you have to help out on other projects, so you can be spinning a few plates at once, but that keeps us busy! There is always something new and I find that very exciting. I really like the variety of working in the in-house workshop and travelling to complete the job on-site. It’s nice to follow the project from the beginning to completion.
Unfortunately, there are a huge lack of females in our industry, particularly in your area as a mechanic. What has your experience been like within the industry?
I think it's sad that there aren't many women in the mechanical industry. I have worked with only men for a large part of my life, and I really enjoy it, but I would very much like to have more ladies join the industry. It does something to the working environment when there is a good mix of genders and I think It’s healthy to have that balance in any workplace.
Throughout my career so far, my experience has mostly been positive and most people think it's fun to have girls on their team, but of course there are also episodes where it's not as popular. We girls have come here for the same reason as everyone else and can do the task in-hand. Throughout my time at IK so far, I have always been treated with respect and seen as just one of the team, that’s the way it should be.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I definitely want to travel to more countries with my job and see how they work in other parts of the world. I want to build up good experience and become the best I possibly can be at what I do. I want to be a good colleague for the others in the team, and want to be someone they can count on. I am satisfied as long as I feel I have grown as a person, done the best I can and experienced many exciting and difficult projects.
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