Meet Our Graduates | Jofran

In May 2021, Walker Filtration Limited welcomed Jofran Gonzalez to the Graduate Scheme as a Research Engineer.

Jofran started his career with Walker Filtration in 2019, completing a year in industry internship, before returning to Teesside University to complete his BEng (Hons) degree in Chemical Engineering. Following the successful completion of his degree, Jofran was invited back to Walker Filtration to our Graduate Scheme based on the talent, performance and work ethic demonstrated during his intern year.

Jofran shares his experiences returning to Walker Filtration, and his new role as Research Engineer as part of the Graduate Scheme.

Intern year

How do you feel returning to Walker Filtration after your internship?

It feels great to be back. I am glad that the team was happy with my performance during my internship and that they wanted to have me back on board as a graduate. I had a really good time here, and I am confident that it will stay that way. I look forward to learning more in my new role and continuing to contribute to the success of the company.

What made you return to the company after completing your Chemical Engineering degree?

I grew massively as a person and as a professional in my internship here at Walker Filtration, and that indicated the growth that I could potentially continue experiencing if I returned to work with the team. Therefore, coming back allows me to develop and work in a great environment.

How do you feel your intern year impacted your education?

My intern year changed the way I approached my education completely; it marked a before and after, and I have never felt more confident about what I am capable of since my internship. I became more organised, systematic, accurate and technical after the intern year, and that was reflected in my academic performance which exceeded expectations multiple times.

Research Engineer in our Graduate Scheme

What attracted you to Walker Filtration?

The opportunity to have a significant impact in the market and in people’s lives. Walker Filtration manufactures products that are essential for

certain industries and applications and that makes the company incredibly valuable. This has never been more important than

it is now as Walker Filtration provides equipment to hospitals that are currently helping those who are affected by COVID-19 and need respiratory assistance. The Walker Filtration team has a great responsibility and therefore competent and reliable people are needed, and that is a challenge that I wanted to embrace.

What have you been working on since you started?

I have been training in areas of competence relating to my new role, which will better prepare me for future challenges and projects. Finishing university studies is not the end of the learning journey, and I have spent this time learning how to be a better engineer and how to become a more valuable asset for the company.

What are you looking forward to on the Graduate Scheme?

I am planning to use this opportunity to develop new skills, make significant contributions to the company and take my career to the next level. The graduate scheme will allow me to become more professionally sound, reliable, and confident.

What does your workday look like?

My workday is divided into multiple tasks. I use business critical priorities as the guides for my workday. I research new product development opportunities, analyse issues with current products and provide potential solutions, I also test and validate developing products. It is a very dynamic role. No two days look identical and that is what makes the role exciting. I am able to learn new things everyday and develop my abilities to further my career.

Finally, what is your favourite thing about working at Walker Filtration?

I love the opportunity that Walker Filtration provides to connect with others. Connections are key for succeeding in your career and personal life. Colleagues, managers, customers, suppliers, and aspiring college graduates come together into this connection network where everyone has something to offer to one another, making our careers more successful and enjoyable.

Our Lead Research Engineer, Philip Marshall welcomes Jofran to his team:

“Jofran has made a great start since his return to Walker Filtration as a graduate Research Engineer. His enthusiasm and passion is infectious and you can see that he really wants to make a difference by building on his successful research internship back in 2019-2020.  Being already familiar with the business has meant that Jofran has been able to hit the ground running and quickly immersed himself into the work.  It’s still early days and Jofran has not yet had a chance to make his mark however, I have no doubt that his efforts will prove to be significant in the near future.”

Meet some of our other graduates!