Young engineering talent at Audi

It has been more than one year since Nihale Saba joined a dynamic and future-oriented team, which very proud to produce the Audi e-tron. It is the first fully electronic model from the German car manufacturer.

Her role is primordial, since she intervenes in quality control. Together with her colleagues she developed a software which tests the functionality and parts of the vehicle before it is delivered to the clients. The objective is to facilitate the daily business of every employee by using the most modern technology.

It is therefore a very specific job, the result of extensive studies. This challenge certainly did not intimidate the young Moroccan: already since her adolescence she dreamt of becoming an engineer. No wonder with parents being physics teachers. “What really appealed to me in engineering is this versatility, this open mind and the fact that we can develop the optimal solution. At first I did not know what to specialize in. During my two years of preparatory classes, I had the time to find out what interested me and what is practiced on the market. My choice then turned to information technology. The field of digitalization is evolving very quickly and I find that fascinating”, she said.

After studying Computer Engineering with a core curriculum in civil aviation in Casablanca, Nihale Saba left for a year to complete a language study trip in Germany. "Then I had the choice between Paris Dauphine and UCL for my second master's degree in information technology. I chose Louvain-la-Neuve because the program met my expectations better. I also knew that Belgium was a multicultural country and that I would also have the opportunity to practice my German there". It was during this university course that Nihale took her first steps at Audi Brussels, a springboard for young creative talents in tune with modernity. After several internships, she is now a software engineer in automotive electronics within the company.

Nihale evolves in a masculine world. Being the only woman in her department, she does not feel discredited, on the contrary. "Here, I'm judged only on my work and my performance," she says. Audi Brussels is known for its diversity and, day after day, more and more women come to develop their career serenely. "It is true that during my studies at UCL, girls were rather rare in my class, unlike the engineering school in Morocco. It was the opposite," she remarked. In Belgium, the figures clearly indicate that, while female students are the majority of all university students, they remain a minority in the scientific subsidiaries. The Audi Brussels factory has nearly 60 different nations of origins. Here, everyone rubs shoulders and works together. This is a great wealth for the company. Even if Nihale Saba admits, as a practicing Muslim, the Ramadan period is not easy, as in all mixed societies. "But the advantage at Audi Brussels is that employees can benefit from a flexible schedule. For me, it's a real ease to be able to adapt my working hours to my fast."

Married, the young engineer met the man of her life in Morocco. He followed her in her professional adventures to Belgium. When the couple has free time, they love to randomly choose a Belgian city and to take a day to discover it. Even though Nihale has made quite a career already, she does not hide a lack: her family and Morocco. "I try to go back there three times a year. For the moment, I'm fine here in Belgium. I am developing my skills at Audi. But I do not hide that one day I would like to return to Agadir ..."

All in good time, for now Nihale Saba has another dream: moving forward in this experience at Audi. "I came to the company at a very good time because I have the opportunity to work on the e-tron model. Next year, the second model will come out. This is something to be really proud of, for Belgium and for us, the employees of Audi Brussels. This project is unique!” she enthuses, aware that she can still evolve in other departments of the company, as is common at Audi Brussels.