Industrial Talk by Ir Juraimi Masood

Ir Juraimi Masood, project integration general manager in PTP gave an exceptional talk which consisted of the many elements required by an engineer to be classified as competent. I have always been a firm believer in experience and there is no better way to get educated than getting the knowledge from an experienced engineer in one of  Malaysia's most advanced container  terminal, PTP. 

As any job would require, Ir Juraimi has shared some of his many experiences which include his earlier days as a Resident engineer where he would liaise with many people with different backgrounds of study. These includes, clients, colleagues, contractors, potential customers. Although engineering may seem to have a very technical job scope and flat noted at times,  it does provide a huge challenge and thrill to people who come out of their comfort zone. In my opinion, engineering is about getting the job done for your client, therefore its actually how we understand their needs and requirements.Therefore, for this section of his speech, I have come to understand the importance of networking and building up professional relationships no matter what their field of work are because we might never know when we will require their assistance.

Adding another point, Ir Juraimi has also mentioned the importance of expectations. As an engineer, it is expected of us to have a sense of responsibility towards our work. From the beginning of a project, engineers are required manage  the development plan and the master plan. A successful project is based on how well it is managed and only the technical savvy personnel can manage such task. From there, a quote comes to mind, which is " If you fail to plan, you plan to fail". That is why being an engineer doesn't necessarily mean that we'll be cooped up in front of a desk all day, the engineering field offers vast opportunities and challenges and it is definitely not a routine occupation.

There are 7 guidelines which was conveyed on the talks. The first one is having an in-depth technical competence in a specific engineering discipline which I think the best way to achieve it is through on the job experience. The second one is to be able to function dynamically as a group and if the need arises, lead a team as a team leader. Number three, is to be able to apply the fundamentals of engineering knowledge and this associates with having effective communication skills. Forth, is for an engineer to identify problems and come up with solutions. The fifth one, in my opinion applies to any field of work, which is to have a social awareness. Social awareness  helps us adapt to the fast pace environment and engineers should use that to create a sustainable development. Sixth, is the ability to use a system approach to design and evaluate operational performances and finally, is that engineers are able to design and conduct experiments while applying the science into it. These guidelines acts as a pillar to what an engineer should do to be classified as "competent", there are many others with different opinions but I believe these tips will suffice for a fresh graduate engineer.

In any field of profession, there are rules and regulations which is regulated by higher and professional body, for example BEM and IEEE. Ir Juraimi explained that there are certain codes of conduct that must be followed at all times no matter the situation. There are ethics which must be observed while practicing our professional careers and there will come a time when we are placed in an un-strategic position but we must always keep to the ethics of the job.

In truth, I believe there are abundance more that can be learnt from this talks but it might not make much sense now but one day when I experience the thrills, ups and downs of being an engineer, only then the little details in this talks will have proven their point because as the great Albert Einstein once said, " the only source of knowledge is experience".