Raíssa Silva Hardt, Tenaris technical sales engineer in Brazil, Tenaris
Raíssa Silva Hardt, Tenaris technical sales engineer in Brazil, is a firm believer that “when you know the time is right, you have to make things happen.” This carpe diem approach has guided her journey at Tenaris from the beginning in 2015, filling her days with on-site projects and extensive training experiences, both in Brazil and abroad. “Between customer meetings and trainings, I’ve spent more than six weeks traveling for work, just during this first semester. It’s a busy life, but a fulfilling one with learning opportunities,” she claims.
Her penchant for gaining technical knowledge has driven her career since day one. With a degree in chemical engineering, Hardt continued her studies in Norway and completed a summer internship at Statoil, now Equinor. Upon her return to Brazil, she joined Tenaris’s welded pipe mill in Pindamonhangaba, her hometown, as a global trainee and worked in several areas that proved key to her technical development. “My favorite part of the job is to be able to learn and share knowledge. I love getting to know our customers and their operations, learning the specifics about each product and application, and being able to suggest solutions that can become a reality,” she says.
Hardt is also excited to witness the growth of female professionals in the onshore and offshore market. "I am very proud to see women gaining space in this field and I love to share my experience to show that this is possible. While working on offshore platforms, I was used to seeing only five or six women out of 160 people. But, for instance, some months ago, I participated in a training course in Mexico where we were four women in a group of 20 people. There are still challenges, but with perseverance, support, and professionalism, we can break those barriers and serve as an example for the new generations,” she says proudly.
She references her past training and describes the Tenaris Tubular Running course as one of the most impressive experiences in her career. The first post-pandemic edition of the course was held last April at the company’s Rig Direct® Academy, a training and testing center in Veracruz, Mexico, designed to perform full-scale testing of new technologies.
“This course was an excellent networking opportunity as I met colleagues from different areas, such as supply chain, product engineering and technical sales. I had the chance to learn about technologies that are used in other regions, simulate some of the most challenging operating conditions found in the field and assess the difficulties that customers may face at the rig. Also, I was able to share my own experience as a field services representative using TenarisHydril BlueDock® connectors, which are manufactured in Brazil,” she highlights.
But it's not only about professional development for Hardt, who understands the importance of embracing a healthy work-life balance. With so many working trips, whenever she is in Pindamonhangaba, she takes advantage of her free time to exercise and relax. Weight training and running are among her favorite activities, while she also enjoys cooking, practicing yoga and traveling with her family.
“Last June I participated in a half marathon in Rio de Janeiro and despite having missed some training sessions, I performed better than expected,”, says Hardt. And she doesn't stop there. Her next personal goal is to run a 30KM. “For me, running is therapeutic and an opportunity to share time with friends and with my father, who is also a runner.”
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