”It is rare that one working day is the same as the next”

Patrik Nilsson is a technical expert in industrial lifting equipment and has worked as an inspector for over twenty years. The TIC industry offers a stimulating and meaningful career for those who have technical expertise, are sensitive to customer needs and have a good understanding of the regulations.

Hi Patrik, what is your background and education that has led to the job you have today?

– I studied a two-year technical course at high school and went the other way, you could say. At that time, Swedac required that the training to become an inspection engineer should correspond to a high school engineering degree or equivalent. After high school, I worked at Kockums, where I discovered lifting. I had a position as a Crane Inspector and was responsible for lifting devices between 100 kg and 500 tons, and then got in touch with one of the companies in the industry, and after a few years was employed. I took a number of internal courses, where theory and practice alternated, until I received my first authorization. Now I have worked as an inspector on lifting equipment for over twenty years. I have added more authorizations, and of course more experience. To not stand still in my development and to constantly have the opportunity to choose a path for my own future in the job as an inspection engineer. To move forward in lifting, construction or in elevator objects. To increase my authorizations and be able to do more advanced inspections. All with the help of internal training, governed by regulations, and internships with colleagues.

What do your duties include?

– In my daily work, I follow the Swedish Work Environment Authority's Statutes 2023:11 Chapter 13. In my daily work, I work with inspections of lifting equipment, such as cranes, traverses, vehicle lifts, inspection lifts, and so on. I am also a safety representative, and a mentor for new employees and conduct training in loading and lifting safety. I also have a place in the company's technical council, where I am responsible for industry and wind power issues. It is rare that one working day is the same as the next.

Why have you chosen to work in the TIC industry?

– It has been a bumpy road. I originally wanted to become a police officer but needed to supplement my high school education with a couple of subjects. But I was tired of school and had a part-time job in healthcare. I took a sabbatical from my studies. I then got a job at Kockums and got my eyes opened to the industry and the profession. I found it interesting and asked what the opportunities were for working as an inspection engineer.

When I started, the requirement for being an engineer was that you had studied mathematics C in high school and had a few years of work experience in one of the areas the company works with. It is important that you understand how the technology works and is interconnected. Most people take the basic course for authorization to Lyft-1 and Hiss-1, then you build on it.

What qualities do you think are important for the role you have?

– The most important thing is technical expertise, responsiveness to customers and understanding of regulations. Working safely without taking risks, not being afraid of heights.

How would you describe the TIC industry in your own words?

– It is a challenging industry. It is governed by a set of regulations, but it is a broad set of regulations, with different types of inspections to be carried out. That is why technical expertise is important, so that the assessment made during each inspection is correct and the result is understandable to the customer. In my role as an inspection engineer, I inspect many different types of technical equipment. It is a damn fun job! If you get into this right, you basically have a job you can stay in for the rest of your working life.

Read more about the industry at Swetic's career page.

Working in the TIC industry