Lurdes Valado, Portugal
Chemical Engineer Lurdes Valado moved to Scotland to further her studies more than a decade ago. An exciting graduate job with Wood Group PSN led her to Aberdeen, where she now loves to spend time in the countryside with her Scottish husband and son.
Tell us about your background
I did my first degree in chemical engineering in Porto in Portugal and came to Edinburgh University in 1999 to do my PhD.
I completed my PhD at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology and while I was there I went to a recruitment fair where Wood Group was displaying. I got a job with them as a graduate Process Engineer in Aberdeen, and have now been with the company for 10 years.
What attracted you to the position with Wood Group?
I thought they were friendly and approachable, and the engineering work they were doing seemed quite challenging. They also provide an excellent graduate training programme that is very structured and allows you to learn practical skills and apply to become chartered.
I was successfully admitted as a Chartered Engineer of the Member of the Institution of Chemical Engineers after completing the training programme, and I am also a European Chartered Engineer by FEANI.
I am now a senior process engineer and it is my job to provide process engineering input on projects with interactions between a number of disciplines to ensure the deliverables, budgets and time frames are met. I also supervise graduate engineers and help manage and support them with their responsibilities.
How do you find life in Aberdeen?
I think the quality of life in Scotland is excellent. You get the benefits of living in the city but the countryside is just nearby. In our case it is a five minute walk from our door – you can enjoy the peace and relaxation of being in the countryside while at the same time being close to the city centre. It’s amazing!
I love Portugal, but Scotland ticks all the boxes for me and I’m very settled here. I think I will stay here for quite a long time.
What do you do to relax away from work?
I like to go for walks with my family and I love the gym – I usually go four times a week. There is also a very good social side of Wood Group so we often go to events and do things together which is really nice.