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Fatih Korkmaz
Turkey
EBM Graduate
2008-2009
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"It was definitely a key milestone in my life."
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 Moving to the UK from his native Turkey to study was a huge decision for Fatih Korkmaz. With six years’ professional experience in automotive engineering, he already had a good career – as well as a settled home life. But now, having completed his course and working for a leading global business, Fatih calls that decision “one of the best things I have ever done”.
Back in 2008, Fatih was working as a Production Department Leader with a major automotive electronics business in Turkey. Why then, as a graduate in Mechanical Engineering with a highly successful career, did he decide to return to full-time study?
“I felt that I needed to develop my knowledge in a number of areas”, he explained. ”I really wanted to build a global understanding: to find out how the world’s leading organisations are driving innovation.
“But I also wanted to improve my people management and commercial skills. My aim was to get a whole new perspective on engineering, business, people and my career.”
After researching a number of different course options, Fatih decided that WMG’s one-year Masters programme in Engineering Business Management would give him the broad range of learning he was looking for.
“I was still in two minds about taking the year out though,” he said. “But my wife Zeynep encouraged me. In fact she told me that the offer from WMG was too good to miss and I had to do it, even though it would mean us living apart for a year.”
So, with his wife’s full support, Fatih joined the MSc programme in September 2008. “It was even better than I had hoped for,” he described. “Seeing the way that WMG collaborates with major companies was a big eye-opener, and it was fantastic to learn from organisations like Jaguar Land Rover, Rolls-Royce and BAe Systems.”
Asked to pick out one element of the course that impressed him the most, Fatih struggled a little: “It’s really difficult to say. Every module was excellent in its own right – and as a whole, the course allowed me to gain valuable insights into so many areas of engineering and business management.”
Fatih was also keen to highlight the facilities on offer at Warwick. “The Digital Lab was incredible,” he said. “And when it came to my dissertation, the team at the International Automotive Research Centre was tremendously supportive and helpful.”
For his research project, Fatih looked at ways to reduce the cost and weight of electrical systems within latest generation premium vehicles. “This tied together my previous professional experience with the understanding I had gained at WMG,” he added. “It was great to have the time, r esources and support to really think about the subject and developments that could create next-generation technology.”
As early as April 2009 (five months before finishing his MSc programme), Fatih applied for a role as a Graduate Lead Engineer with Visteon Corporation, a leading global supplier of automotive systems, modules and components. Soon after his first interview, he was told that the job was his. He has now been promoted to Product Development Lead Engineering for the Electronics Product Group at their European Corportate Office and UK Innovation Centre.
The relevance of WMG’s programme really comes home to you when you move into industry,” he said. “In fact, I have already applied many of the methods and tools I learned at Warwick in my job here.
That is not only true of the engineering innovation projects I’m involved with. But as I am constantly working with colleagues in other Visteon business centres right around the world, the international perspective I gained from studying at Warwick has been invaluable.”
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