With people from all over the world choosing Ireland as a place to live and work, we speak to those that have put down roots in the country. This time, we talk to Fabrizio Carpin, a senior software engineer at KEMP Technologies.
Where are you from?
I am from Noventa Padovana, a small town close to Padua in the northeast of Italy. Venice is only 40km from Padua. I like Padua because it is a cultural city, alive all day long.
Padua is the city where I studied from high school to university, where I graduated in electronic engineering. It is a city with a long history and the University of Padua was founded in 1222 as a school of law. It is among the earliest universities of the world and the second oldest in Italy. The University of Padua is also one of Italy’s leading universities.
Galileo Galilei, the famous astronomer, spent a very successful period in Padua. During this time, he made significant discoveries in both pure fundamental science (for example, kinematics of motion and astronomy) as well as practical applied science (for example, strength of materials and improvement of the telescope).
How long have you been in Ireland?
I moved to Limerick on 7 February 2013, to start my new adventure with KEMP.
Why did you move here?
I needed a change in my working life, to find new challenges and improve my career. I decided to look for a new job in Ireland, where I never was before but I heard very good news from my friends who were in Ireland for vacation and from another friend who is working in Galway.
What work do you do?
I am a software engineer, so my role is to design the software that the company needs. It is an interesting role that I like a lot. It is team-based work so it involves many people with different skills.
How would you describe your working environment?
It depends on the point of view. It is challenging for the job and it is amazing for the colleagues that I am working with every day. Challenging because every day we have something new to do and to learn so, definitely, it is interesting. Amazing because it is friendly. All the people make you comfortable and this is very, very important.
What do you like most about your job?
The challenges that come to me every day and I have to find the right way to solve them.
Was it difficult to adjust to living and working in Ireland?
The weather, even though I knew from the beginning that it is completely different from the weather I was used to. It is not colder than where I live in Italy (Padua is in the north of Italy, so the winter is colder than here), but here it definitely rains more than in Italy and this is still something that I have to learn to live with.
What surprised you about moving to Ireland?
The people. I was told that Irish people are very friendly and it is absolutely true. I experience this every day with my colleagues.
How does your working life help to make you feel at home here?
The company organises social events that help me to socialise.
What do you like most about your adopted home?
The Irish countryside. It is amazing.
