The odyssey from the world of engineering to the hallowed halls of a prestigious Management Institute, the Department of Management Studies and Industrial Engineering (DMSIE) at IIT (ISM), Dhanbad, was a voyage laden with both challenge and opportunity. The transformation was profound, and as I look back, I am compelled to share the tale of this transition.
It all began in June 2020, amidst the vibrant tumult of Lagos, Africa, where I was engrossed in a project of grand proportions: the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Projects, a venture orchestrated by the illustrious Dangote Group. But the world was in turmoil, besieged by the relentless onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, instigated by the elusive SARS-CoV-2 virus. It was during these trying times that my true calling emerged, like a beacon in the tempest.
I was thrust into the role of a manager, a task I had never anticipated but one that resonated deeply within me. My HR manager, recognizing my latent abilities, entrusted me with the daunting responsibility of orchestrating the response to the pandemic within our residential complex. In a whirlwind of determination, I convened a meeting, uniting the minds of Dangote Group's HR director and the Chief Medical Officer. By day's end, we had arranged for essential medications and a doctor to oversee the health of the afflicted.
But I digress, for the heart of this tale is the transformation from engineer to manager, a path filled with unique challenges and unforeseen opportunities.
The first pivotal step was self-recognition, the acknowledgment that I yearned for change and that the allure of a management degree beckoned to me. The shift demanded a recalibration of skills, from an engineer's technical prowess to a leader's soft skills: communication, leadership, and teamwork. It was in this moment of metamorphosis that I sought the guidance of a mentor.
Fortune favored me, granting me admission into DMSIE, where the department's erudite faculties and the institute's Career Development Cell (CDC) had already charted the course of an engineering-to-management transition. Their wisdom was a priceless treasure, providing insights into the subtleties of leadership, regaling me with personal anecdotes, and offering counsel tailored to my unique journey. A mentor was my lodestar, a luminary who had walked the path I was now embarking upon, a confidant who listened to my ideas and apprehensions.
The Atal Community Innovation Centre (ACIC) of IIT (ISM) extended its benevolent hand, nurturing entrepreneurial ambitions and providing financial support.
In retrospect, this journey was a transformative expedition, self-discovery, and relentless dedication. It marked a path illuminated by personal growth, laden with formidable challenges, and punctuated by the profound satisfaction of effecting substantial organizational change. My experience has unveiled the profound truth that, armed with the right mindset, guided by mentors, and fuelled by an insatiable thirst for knowledge, this transition is not merely attainable—it is profoundly rewarding.
By
Abdul Ghani
DMSIE, IIT (ISM), Dhanbad