Marwan Zalouk
Former AIT – Applications Engineer-in-Training
What is your current role at IPEX?
I am currently in the Applications Engineering team. I work closely with a lot of other departments (internal and external) to provide technical support for our industrial and plumbing & mechanical products.
What is the most significant learning you’ve received from the program?
I learned a great deal from every department I worked with, and it is not easy to point out one specific thing. In addition to the hands-on experience, I received from the manufacturing rotation, I learned a great deal about the company as a whole and how important it is to be aware of other departments and how they function. This allows you to collaborate better with internal stakeholders and will serve as a valuable asset no matter what department you join after the three rotations are finished.
How has the program helped you to achieve your goals?
My goal from the start has been to learn as much as I can about how this company runs, and I’ve gained great insight on numerous areas of our operations. My Process Engineering rotation taught me about the planning processes across all of our plants. My Marketing rotation taught me about our market segments and product lines, and how we work with other departments to promote and help sell our products. And my Manufacturing rotation taught me about the day-to-day operations within a production plant as well as the equipment and people involved in making the very products that are sold to our customers.
What advice would you give to someone who has just enrolled in the program?
Understand that your time in each department is limited and that, in a way, your goal is to build a strong skillset that will help you no matter what department you end up in. This is why it’s important to ask a lot of questions and try to learn as much as you can.