AwalkwithMO

It’s time to flip the script and branch out to something different. Think of being in your first-ever romantic relationship with someone, and now you want to move on. You have made mistakes, built a network with their friends and family, shared memorable moments, and faced several challenges together. The lesson from that for me is that I look back with nothing but gratitude and respect because without them, my next chapter wouldn’t be growth-worthy. Having spent 6 years of heavy Civil Engineering in Rail, Aviation, Highways and Defence infrastructure. I think I am now ready for something new.

I have always been inclined to do a 3-year plan – I made one for 2023-25. This covers professional and personal goals. For example: learning how to swim, travelling 2-3 times a year, career promotions, exposure to different parts of the orgainisation/company, buying a house, running a marathon for charity, skydiving for charity, working abroad, etc.

Having achieved all those milestones, I made a new 3-year plan from 2026-28. The milestone is a career change. Why? Truthfully… this isn’t down to one factor. Working in my industry means you get to work away a lot. This means time away from family and limited access to my hobbies. This also meant my routine was always changing, and I had to adapt accordingly. Working in challenging weather conditions such as cold, rain, and sun is the package. On the brighter side, I get to travel to many places (expanding my geographical knowledge), and work with people with remarkable experience and life stories – You know I love stories. Stories ranging from how they started in the industry to personal stories such as divorces and life spent in the army. Yes, in every project I have worked on, I have come across someone who has gone through 2-3 divorces in their lifetime, and almost 1 in 2 people I have met have served in the army. They shared it openly, and I listened with no judgement but smiles and gratitude. These were some of my best moments.

My personal takeaway is connecting with the people within the community whenever we build projects that are right at the doorstep of the public. Those are the most memorable projects. In fact, I do have a REMARKABLE story to tell about how I bonded with 12-plus community members during one of my projects, and to this day I visit them now and then to have coffee/hot chocolate and catch up. Keep an eye out for that blog!!!

The new career change would allow me to branch out into a different sector, introducing stability for a concrete work-life balance. A routine, closer to home and family. A hybrid role, with fewer weekly hours for more money and also access to my mom’s kitchen and fridge regularly. More importantly, a sector that still allows me to apply my civil engineering knowledge and transferable skills – After all, I am a Civil Engineer and forever will be.

So yes, my career change is moving into the WATER sector. Making sure the water you drink is handled with care before they are safely released into the community and businesses across England and Wales. I have always championed sustainability in every project I have worked on. Therefore, this sector works perfectly. THE NEW CHAPTER BEGINS!!!!! And oh… a reminder to myself to never burn the bridge with your previous employer – you never know what lies ahead.