With an engineering journey that has taken him across the world, Prashant has recently joined team Steel & Tube as our ComFlor Specification Manager. Engineers, architects and specifiers alike, we invite you to get to know Prashant. He’s sitting down to discuss where his career journey began, how he’s settling into his new role and his plans for the remainder of 2022.
Tell me about your career to date
After graduating from University of Mumbai, I joined Sika India. This was a unique opportunity as I was selected to participate in the management trainee programme in which I moved across different divisions from sales and marketing to technical services over an eleven-month period. At the conclusion of the programme, we were assessed and then placed in a business unit. I was thrilled to be placed as a Product Engineer in the refurbishment and building finishes business unit at Sika. In my tenure of three years, I was involved in handling over 100 building products under refurbishment and building finishes, supplied in both horizontal and vertical construction across the country. It was a time of significant growth and learning which I thoroughly enjoyed.
When it was time for a change, I decided to move overseas. I was tossing up between Australia and New Zealand. I decided on the latter due to the culture in New Zealand and the beautiful scenery.
Soon after arriving, I commenced a Masters in Construction Management at Auckland University of Technology (AUT). During this time, I worked part-time with Stretch Master Ceilings as a Technical Sales and Specifications Representative dealing with architects and specifiers across the Auckland region. This is how I started my journey in New Zealand’s construction industry.
Upon graduating from my Masters, I was looking for a full-time role, so I joined Rondo Building Services as a Technical Sales Engineer. This was a challenging role, as I was stepping into the steel industry for the first time. There were many great learnings from both a technical and general business perspective. It was a role which I’ll continue to look back fondly upon throughout my career.
The decision to exit was very challenging. However, I had recognised that it was time to move on. I was approached by Steel & Tube to join the team as a ComFlor Specification Manager in a national capacity. It was exactly the type of opportunity I was looking for as it was a new learning experience with a new product which I already had a keen interest in.
What motivated you to join the Steel & Tube team?
I’ve always enjoyed working for businesses with involvement in manufacturing, as you gain an appreciation for how the products you are working with are produced. As Steel & Tube offers a range of products from the ground up, there’s a unique opportunity to learn about a range of products and to understand how they can all work together in the design of a robust, elegant building which is fit for purpose.
What interests you most about being a part of the construction industry?
I enjoy the challenge of working towards the conclusion of a project. As the construction industry more widely and each individual project is impacted by a range of internal and external factors, I really enjoy the challenge of working within the bounds of or managing these factors to ensure successful project delivery.
I also enjoy working within a tight knit team to optimise the processes we are undertaking to ensure successful project delivery each time. I’ve always had a keen interest in streamlining project deliveries and internal processes to ensure that the customer receives the best possible service every time.
What do you hope to achieve during your first few months in the role?
My focus is on understanding how the systems work at Steel & Tube. Once I have those basics right, I’ll be able to work with engineers, architects and specifiers to deliver even more value. It’s great to collaborate with designers at every stage of the process and to play a part in the project’s progression towards successful delivery.
Outside of the office, what are your interests?
I try to maintain work-life balance wherever possible. So, I enjoy going to the gym after work and then spending the weekend with my wife. She moved to New Zealand to join me six months ago. I’ve been in New Zealand for the past five years so I’ve done a fair bit of exploring already. My wife and I have planned an anniversary trip to the Coromandel which we’re looking forward to.
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