Name: LiChao Pan
Place of Birth: China (ShiLongTou 石龙头)
Date of Birth: April 10, 1987
Studied at TU/e: September 2010 – August 2012. Master of Automotive Technology
Current position: Development engineer, Bosch Transmission Technology, Tilburg

What are you doing now and how did you find a job?
I’m working as a design engineer in the Advanced Engineering department at Bosch Transmission Technology in Tilburg. I had received four offers (a position in Germany, two offers in the Netherlands, and a PDEng trainee position) two months before my graduation. I have applied online and went to a job fair to meet companies.

Why did you choose to go to TU/e?
TU/e provides one of the best automotive master programs in Europe, and 99.99% of the Dutch speak English almost fluently. That makes studying and living here easy for international students. Although Eindhoven is a only a small city (compared to my hometown ShiLongTou), it’s actually very international: not only open in educations and industries, but also brimming with international organizations and cultures.

How do you reflect on your time at TU/e?
It has been a stressful and tight study schedule. I think the university offers a perfect combination of theoretical lectures and problem-solving traineeships.

What are your plans for the (near) future?
I would like to gain more experience in research, be a good engineer, and contribute to the automotive industry in some way. I also want to finish Rotterdam marathon and be a frequent runner.

What advice would you give to the current students?
Before deciding on your study tracks or direction of research, please take time to understand the requirements of interested companies. Learn Dutch, if you can manage. And try to be as open and direct as the Dutch are in their daily lives.