Employees at Siemens Canada care for their local communities through the Multiply Impact for All program.Supplied
In his time with Siemens Canada Limited, Jordan Kamphuis feels he has really grown. “There’s been this incredible breadth of opportunities,” says Kamphuis, now a business development manager for electrical products with the 177-year-old engineering giant.
“Siemens being a vast company with so many business units, I’ve been able to try out different things and discover new ways of working with different teams and completely different portfolios, in different positions,” he says.
“I have done sales quite a bit, but I’ve also been on the project management side. And I’ve been able to go to different factories to see how we manufacture equipment. All that has been amazing.”
The fact that Oakville, Ont.- based Siemens Canada operates across this country and abroad has also been a boon for Kamphuis. “I’ve had a fantastic opportunity to travel at Siemens and see various operations,” he notes. “I’ve been to Germany, the Czech Republic, Colombia, China, the U.S. and most Canadian provinces.”
Kamphuis started at the company when he was still studying electrical engineering and management at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont. He was part of the initial rollout of one of the firm’s training initiatives, the Siemens Certified Education and Talent Academy (SCETA).
The 17-month SCETA program is among many learning opportunities available to Siemens recruits. And Carrie Lamers, head of the Siemens Academy, says it’s the jewel of the company’s attraction for new hires, often leading to a full-time position.
“We have a real commitment to developing our next generation of leaders,” she says. “We don’t just hire young talent; we invest in them. We understand that innovation requires a fresh perspective and diverse thinking. At the same time, our recruits get the stability and resources of a large global corporation. This combination makes Siemens a great, compelling place to launch your career.”
Lamers notes that Siemens also offers an array of in-person and virtual programs for staff members. Among them is its elite, one-year GO (growth and opportunity) program, which Kamphuis took part in. In the fall, he also spent a week in North Carolina as part of the company’s emerging-leaders initiative. As well, Siemens offers subsidies for external education.
For both Lamers and Kamphuis, a major reward of working for Siemens is its involvement in meaningful work, much of which involves newer economic sectors that are shaping the future, such as AI data centres and electric vehicle battery production.
Lamers cites a project with BMO’s Critical Environments group to develop a cutting-edge cooling system for one of their data centres. The system uses AI to apply the right amount of cooling when and where it is needed among data racks, reducing the energy consumption in the designated area.
“What ties everything together at Siemens is our commitment to sustainability and digital transformation,” she says. “They’re not just corporate buzzwords for us — they’re woven into everything we do, how we make our decisions and measure our success. People who come to Siemens are attracted to the fact that their work has real impact on industry and society. How do we make our buildings more sustainable? How do we improve?”
Meanwhile, says Kamphuis, employees can achieve work-life balance at Siemens. “There’s no mandate to be at the office five days a week; employees are encouraged to come in two or three days. Siemens is more results and deliverables focused than ‘I want you to check in at nine and check out at five every day.’
“I find that if you really come to the table, show your work ethic and deliver results, the company rewards you, whether it’s through compensation or flexibility or development opportunities.”
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Advertising feature produced by Canada’s Top 100 Employers, a division of Mediacorp Canada Inc. The Globe and Mail’s editorial department was not involved.