4 Advices to Young Risk Engineers to Overcome Newcomers’ Challenges
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Risk engineering is a combination of multiple engineering disciplines incorporating both theoretical and practical methods for its main purpose of ‘’Loss Prevention’’.
Risk engineers mainly work with insurance companies to reach all types of businesses globally where they provide solutions to help manage loss control, mitigate risk and improve safety. There are number of tasks which the risk engineer will have responsibility over, however the most important includes the following:
- Identification of exposures, risks, and hazards
- Mitigation of exposures, risks, hazards
- Improving loss control and safety
The new engineer considering a career as a risk engineer should make sure they will embrace a life of continuous technical improvement and have an interest in meeting new people and cultures. My advice as a risk engineer who loves his job and seeing it as a lifestyle would be as follows:
Never stop studying and learning. Risk engineers should be students forever and keep themselves informed of new technologies, techniques, codes, standards, loss events, and research. Even the most qualified engineer has to study continuously in order to match the speed of advancing technology in order to be aware of new hazards, risks, safety and protection features.
Don’t focus only on scientific skills. In addition to excelling in analytical skills, risk engineers should be strong in soft skills as the job requires engagement with people from across an organization. During our career, risk engineers will meet and work with many people from different cultures, jobs, skills and backgrounds. Forming harmony and friendly relationships with people is crucial in order to get efficient results.
Be a business partner. A risk engineer should be ready to put on the hat of a consultant, business partner, or someone from the team of the clients they are working with. Risk engineers are generally not supervisors, auditors, or overseers. Always remember that the clients are the real experts about their occupancy. You should learn from each of them and help them achieve their goals for loss prevention based on your expertise in the field.
Be open to innovation. Like all other industries, insurance is constantly changing. Digitalization has become a global need and reality. Risk engineers should be able to familiarize themselves with new methods such as Remote Inspections, Data Science, and Automated Reporting Systems, and use these new technologies to improve the services of their clients.
Each risk engineer carries great responsibility for the protection and safety of hundreds, or even thousands of locations where loss prevention surveys may be performed. Knowing that you are working for a good cause is the path which makes your job fulfilling and a rewarding way of life.
