Ioana Preda

I’ve been teaching in the electrical engineering department at HEIA Fribourg for the past three years. I try to teach my students about the materials used in electrical engineering, the basics of electricity and the different ways of producing and storing electricity. Teaching is a passionate job, but in practice teaching “generation C” can be a real challenge. Just like in the past, we have to captivate the attention of an audience thirsty for information, but now the students are often very impatient. And as a teacher, you constantly have to question yourself, and you have to – or at least it’s better to – incorporate new teaching techniques and technologies, using the resources designed for younger generations. Teaching in the digital era and channelling young people’s energy into learning – both inside and outside the classroom – requires a lot of personal investment. But it’s worth it when you see the results. For me, that’s the beauty of this job.

My passion. My work is very dynamic, my audience is very curious, and each new group of students has its own charm. People think that teachers always do the same thing, but in reality there is really no monotony in this job ! I like that my students are curious.

My career path. I had the opportunity to go to the Institut d’Electronique du Sud (now the Institut d’Electronique) at the University of Montpellier, France, for my Erasmus exchange in 2009. In the three months I was there, I got to know a new town, a new team and, most importantly, a new job – that of teacher and researcher. And the rest is history. My colleagues have been a great source of support, both during my training and every single day at work.

A downside or obstacle ? You have to juggle three jobs in one – being a teacher, a researcher and a civil servant. Managing all three roles at the same time is hard, especially early on in your career. Personally, I’ve not come across any obstacles, at least not yet. I think that there are few women in my field simply because they don’t have the right perception
of the job. But when I talk with younger women, I get the feeling this misconception might be fading.

I’m proud of my career so far, but I’m still young and I have a long way to go before I can really leave my mark. My strength is my energy, plus a lot of enthusiasm.