Working for Carraro

Working for Carraro, Alberto's story

What does working for Carraro mean? We asked one of our internal colleagues, Alberto Michieletto, plant manager at Campodarsego, Padua. Alberto is 45, and has been part of the Carraro team for 13 years. Having graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering, he now manages the manufacturing plant in Padua. He has enjoyed a career characterised by rapid professional growth, which has seen him occupying a number of positions of increasing responsibility within the company over the course of just a few years.

How did your career within Carraro begin?
It began in July 2005, 13 years ago, by chance. At that point, I was working for another company, and a friend of mine informed me that Carraro was looking for production engineers. So I decided to apply, and after a couple of interviews, I joined the team.

What has your journey within Carraro looked like?
I was taken on as production manager for the mechanical processing area at the Campodarsego facility (Padua). Subsequently, I became process engineering manager, and after 4 years, I went back to production, taking responsibility for all manufacturing activities. Since 2014, I have been plant manager at this facility.

What role do you currently occupy, and what are your responsibilities?
I am the plant manager, or in other words, the director of the entire facility in Campodarsego. Accordingly, I am responsible for the areas of production, logistics, quality and process engineering. I am also in charge of occupational health and safety.

What is the most important skill to have in a job like yours?
The most difficult aspect of my job is managing and motivating people, and the ability to do this has been a key skill in all of my roles over the years: knowing how to listen to people, creating a dialogue with them, and finding the right "frequency" to get everyone working to the best of their abilities. Managing people is not easy, but it is fundamental to meeting company objectives. It's something that you don't learn in a lecture hall at university, you have to pick it up "in the field". 

What kind of education and training have you had in order to perform this role?
I have a degree in mechanical engineering, and my training has been focused on technical aspects; this has proved fundamental, particularly given that Carraro is an engineering company. I have built a number of other skills through my experience in the workplace, carrying out my day to day activities and learning valuable lessons from my bosses and colleagues. The specific training that the company has allowed me to take part in at external training institutions has also been crucial, for example in the "finance" field. In addition, the help I have received from my brother, who is a psychologist, has been very valuable; he has recommended I read a number of in-depth studies on people management.

Can you tell us what a typical day looks like for a plant manager?
It's very varied, and so it's not easy to describe a typical day. Let's say that the first part of the morning is dedicated to the analysis of reports regarding production, efficiency and turnover, which are produced during the night. This is followed by the production meeting, with all the first-level figures at the plant - this is a fast, operational meeting which also represents an opportunity to talk about the main issues we are experiencing at a given time. From that point, the day can take any number of directions, and could include anything from a visit from a customer to a meeting with a supplier, along with various activities focused on quality, production and costs. Essentially, a typical day is only typical until around 9 am!  

What gives you the greatest satisfaction at work?
Seeing new projects come to fruition. Any type of project: new systems and machines, plant expansion activities - like the latest project that we are currently working on, the new warehouse at Campodarsego - and other projects focused on achieving improvements of all types. When an idea becomes concrete and begins to work, it's very satisfying. It's also very satisfying to watch people in the company grow and develop. People who come into the company in lower level roles, moving into senior positions in just a few years. 

What is the working environment like in your area?
Manufacturing is an area that is subject to a lot of pressure, due to the fact that we are the operational heart of the company. Despite this, we work within a constructive climate based on collaboration and mutual support; this is also true of our daily exchanges with the various functions. I think that in a big company like Carraro, it is essential to create a strong, close-knit team, to face all of the short and long-term challenges that we encounter.

When you think of Carraro, what words spring to mind?
Family. Carraro is a family business, and the family has a powerful presence, both symbolically and physically. The second word is challenge, because over the years we have faced many - first and foremost, the challenge of being a relatively small group supplying products to giants in the world of agricultural and construction machinery. The third word is innovation. For me, Carraro has always been a cutting-edge company; that's how I viewed it even before joining. We have the desire, the will and the need to be innovative.

How do you imagine the Carraro of the future? 
The market, our customers and our suppliers require increasing speed and efficiency, with lower prices and a higher level of comprehensive service. We must be fast, without making the daily work of our teams too demanding. I see the Carraro of the future as a company characterised by speed and flexibility, with a fluid shape and a lot of substance. A company without a strict hierarchical structure, but with many hubs of lower-level responsibility with greater freedom to manage daily activities, with the ability to be more creative and more focused on the future.  

So working for Carraro means sharing passion, goals and values, and seeking to maintain an open, integrative dialogue. Alberto Michieletto's story is just one example of professional growth within a company that offers excellent career opportunities. Do you want to become part of the Carraro universe? View job offers or send a spontaneous application.