Looking back on my journey at Allegro: highlights and reflections
Pros
The projects I’ve worked on have been genuinely interesting, and I have appreciated the technical creativity that went into them. Allegro is a multinational with offices and customers around the world: this gives a fantastic possibility to be exposed to different cultures, ideas and possibilities. Moreover, I have greatly enjoyed visiting customers and gaining a deeper understanding of market needs and trajectories. I’ve had the pleasure of working with great colleagues, and I’ve been fortunate to be supported by an amazing HR professional: there is a great atmosphere of collaboration, both within the Scottish office and across other sites.
Cons
There hasn’t been a clear or consistent path for professional growth. For example, there was a situation where the criteria for career progression were changed on the same day as my performance review, after an entire year of positive feedback coming from my manager. The new criteria was then not used in the following year's evaluation. Opportunities for training and skill development have also been limited — I’ve only participated in two training programs, with just one leading to a certification. My requests to attend automotive technology conferences to stay updated on industry trends have been declined, which was quite strange as we were encouraged to find events to attend. The compensation does not adequately reflect the pressure and responsibilities of a System Engineer. Note: the other Allegro groups are better organised and some/most of the Cons listed above are not applicable to them.