In early 2021, Romanian Silviu Negru, received an job invitation from Great Wall Motor Mind Electric and Electronic System (Mind) and arrived in China in July of the same year. Whilst being excited to work in the country, he also had bouts of anxiety about how he would adapt to the different lifestyle. Two years later, the Mind chief engineer has settled in well in Baoding, the city where he works and lives in central Hebei province, and has no regrets about his decision.

Joining Mind

Negru got to know about Great Wall Motors in 2016. Mind, as a wholly owned subsidiary of Great Wall Motor, was established in 1998 with the aim of providing customers with fashionable, smart, green and safe automotive component systems. "I have been looking forward to joining this company ever since," he said. In fact one of the major reasons for him to come to China, along with the culture, was his belief in China's great potential in terms of the automobile industry. "This is a great opportunity for me because it allows me not only to experience life in China, but also to understand the Chinese culture. I also saw [a lot of potential in] the company's prospects and its determination to develop," he said.

Before joining Mind, Negru had accumulated 15 years of professional experience, mainly as a wire harness design engineer, in different countries such as Romania, Germany, France and Hungary, through which he developed an open and inclusive mind to different cultures. With a continuous history of 5000 years, China was always destined to offer him a unique and life-enriching experience.

Making every day counts in China

According to Negru, only about 20 skilled workers are needed in a 5,000-square-foot automotive manufacturing workshop at Mind, with robots doing most of the work. He is the person who works "behind the scenes" of these robots, mainly designing wiring harnesses.

He explained that wiring harnesses is the process of combining electrical cables or assembly of wires that connect all the electrical and electronic (E/E) components in the vehicle, such as sensors, electronic control units, batteries and actuators.

The wire harness manages the flow of energy and information within the E/E system to perform primary vehicle functions such as steering and braking, as well as secondary vehicle functions such as ventilation and infotainment. Wire harnesses can be used not only in automobiles, but also in home appliances, computers and communication equipment.

Talking about his work at the company, he said, "I really like it here. The company's cultural promotion activities are very engaging. During the Chinese festivals, various events were launched, which helped me to gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture and to fall in love with the country."

Negru is also a person who loves to explore and enjoy life after work. He knows some of the best local restaurants in Baoding and often takes advantage of his vacations to travel around China, trying local delicacies and taking pictures of the sites. Talking about his impressions of China, he said researching the country beforehand helped him, but it is never the same as experiencing the real thing. “After visiting many places in China, I would say that I really like the friendliness of Chinese people, the taste of Chinese cuisine and the richness of Chinese culture,” he said.

"Every day is a new experience here. I am looking forward to growing with my company. I’m also keen to travel to more places, discover more beauty in this country, and explore the vast and profound culture of China," said Negru.

This article is contributed by International Talent Magazine.