Eduin Gándara came to Ternium to cover a three months long license. 10 years later, he is now the Electrical Maintenance Leader at the Ternium Industrial Center (CIT) in Palmar de Varela, and he has now become an example of growth in Ternium.
Gándara is 33 years old, and his career began in 2012 when he arrived at the Barranquilla Plant to cover a leave of absence. Although he became an electrical Technician a few months later, the company linked him to his operations when they noticed he had a suitable profile to be part of the company.
During his growth in the company, he emphasizes the Career Plan program, which has been completely essential in order to apply to the internal calls of the company. “It is a program with a very comprehensive training plan and the topics according to my job position was specifically emphasized. However, I learned a lot about mechanical and instrumentation areas. What I like the most about the Career Plan is that it takes you to the reality of the operation and helps you change your perspective on how to face the difficulties that may arise in the plant, things that are not learned at university,” highlighted Eduin.
The process in Ternium has been very satisfactory for him, he says that he has participated in two internal calls so far, which he has won; the first as Maintenance Inspector in 2015 and the second one as Electrical Maintenance Leader in 2019, a position he currently holds at CIT in Palmar de Varela.
At the time of assuming his new job position, Eduin received the news that he was being sent to Udine in Italy, almost 9,000 km away from home. At that time, he was supporting the entire electrical area of what would later become Ternium's new industrial center in Palmar de Varela, Atlántico. He was part of the team working there with Italian experts who were in charge of installing the electrical complex.
However, the Ternium Engineering Management team considered that the supervision provided for the project was not enough to back then. For this reason, he had to travel to Europe for the first time, to learn and supervise everything about the customization of the equipment that was being held in Italy, then they would travel to Colombia for the CIT process in Palmar de Varela.
“My mind was overwhelmed. It was my first time leaving the country and having such an opportunity; I did not know the language and I felt very anxious about the trip. I think my lack of experience was obvious at the airport. The airport police stopped me to do a check-up, I went through X-rays and they asked me about everything, but I calmed down and nothing else happened,” said Eduin laughing.
In those moments of emotion and confusion, he remembered his father who always taught him to be upright in his actions and in his work; to be transparent, humble, and honest; he then understood that life was rewarding him.
“As I arrived there, I had to place myself in an unknown place. I went with my well-known Spanish from the Atlantic Coast, but I was able to communicate through short phrases in Italian. Likewise, the electrical jargon from Colombia is the same as in Italy, so that was not a problem. I had a positive attitude and all I thought was that this was a new opportunity in my life, so I should give my best,” said Gándara.
For Eduin, the experience of participating in the achievement of the CIT Palmar de Varela project is one of the things that stands out the most; it has enriched him in his profession, since the promotion to Electrical Maintenance Leader began there, which was very challenging for his training. His learning has been comprehensive thanks to the teamwork he has had with his colleagues who are guides in his daily life due to their high level of experience and knowledge.
He points out that Ternium has allowed him to meet colleagues from different regions of Colombia and therefore become close friends with them. “I work with people from Manizales, Cali, and Medellín. They are all very friendly. I get along with everyone because the support at the plant is mutual. We have a good work environment,” he said.
However, when he is told that his colleagues see him as a helpful, responsible, and humble person, always attentive to the needs of others, he considers it as part of his life. “That’s what my father Emiro taught my other two brothers and me; being good people will always bring good things,” says Eduin.
That’s how it really is, Gándara is a humble man, both in his work life and personal life. In regards to his daily life, he says he seizes his days off to be with his family and his wife Monica, to whom he has been married for more than eight years; and also with his three pets, Tequila, Galilea, and Cuman, two female Labradors and a male Labrador who are the spoiled ones of the house.