From Instrument and Controls Technician to Commissioning Manager at LotusWorks
How Embracing Travel and Saying Yes to Opportunities Fuelled Career Growth – meet Paul from LotusWorks.
Reflecting on his career journey, Paul acknowledges the profound professional and personal growth he has achieved through the travel opportunities offered by LotusWorks. When asked about his readiness to embrace the challenge of relocating for work, Paul replied, “My way of thinking was just saying yes to everything; every opportunity that was presented to me by LotusWorks I said yes” he notes. This way of thinking is what propelled Paul’s career growth story with LotusWorks.
A ten-year journey begins
Paul’s professional journey began with a clear preference for practical, hands-on work. Growing up in a family with a farming background, Paul was accustomed to working with his hands and knew that a conventional desk job was not for him. As he approached the end of secondary school and completing his Leaving Certificate, Paul faced significant decisions about his future. He opted for an apprenticeship in instrumentation with LotusWorks. Paul chose a path less traveled by his peers. “At the time, fewer than ten students from my year opted for apprenticeships, while the majority followed the conventional route to college. This ended up being a blessing because the field I was in wasn’t as saturated,” he reflects.
Paul started his career as an Instrument and Controls Technician on a semiconductor client site in Leixlip, Ireland. After a year and a half, he was presented with a remarkable opportunity to move & work on one of LotusWorks client sites in upstate New York. This transition brought both exciting opportunities and challenges, including a significant culture shock. “As soon as I got off the plane, I was driving on the opposite side of the road, which for any 19-year-old is intimidating” he recalls. Despite the cultural differences, Paul embraced the challenge and opportunity presented. He approached every task, no matter how small, with dedication and a focus on doing it right.
“I wanted to prove that I earned my spot, given it was such a great opportunity. I remember my first task was going up onto the catwalk on-site and just monitoring a temperature gauge on a pipe, writing down the readings every hour. I had a phone number to call if the temperature went outside a certain range and flag it as an issue” he recalls.
Navigating career progression
Paul’s journey from an Instrument and Controls Technician in Ireland to his current position as Commissioning Manager on one of LotusWorks client sites in California highlights his expertise in the facilities services industry and how LotusWorks supported his growth. His dedication and proficiency in critical thinking, troubleshooting, automation, commissioning, and preventive maintenance led to his promotion. As a Commissioning Engineer, Paul is crucial in commissioning projects, ensuring that systems are properly integrated and functioning as intended. His work demonstrates his skill and commitment, highlighting his significant contributions to the industry.
Say Yes, it’ll be worth it!
Reflecting on his experiences, Paul underscores the value of embracing new opportunities, even if they initially seem minor or are taught in unfamiliar ways. He advises apprentices starting on large sites to “say yes to everything and be ready to learn things differently from how you first learned them. Some clients have their own methods and preferences, and it’s important to adapt to their needs.” This approach to learning on the job reminded Paul of an important lesson from his apprenticeship days. He remembers being advised, “Don’t just learn something, understand something,” a quote from Pat McCarthy, a lecturer at Cork Institute of Technology (CIT). This advice resonated deeply with Paul and has been a recurring theme throughout his career.
Embracing this philosophy has guided his approach to his roles, where he has consistently demonstrated dedication and proficiency in critical thinking, troubleshooting, automation, commissioning, and preventive maintenance—qualities that eventually led to his promotion. Paul’s commitment to this mindset, along with his philosophy of seizing every opportunity, has proven potent in his career. As a Commissioning Manager, he has played a crucial role in commissioning projects on-site in California, ensuring that systems were properly integrated and functioning as intended. His work not only showcases his skill and commitment but also highlighted his significant contributions to the industry.
Throughout his career, Paul has shown exceptional resilience, adaptability, and a steadfast commitment to excellence. He has reached a significant milestone with the company working for LotusWorks for ten years- starting as an Instrument and Controls Technician at eighteen, advancing to a Commissioning Engineer, to now being promoted as a Commissioning Manager in December 2023. This reflects his proactive approach in leveraging work-related travel opportunities. Paul’s broad experience in both Ireland and the United States showcases his versatility and expertise in the engineering services industry, a growth trajectory that LotusWorks has been proud to support.
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