I am Amala Bennichan, and I hold a Master’s in Technology in Offshore Structures degree. As an individual who spent almost 1/4th of her lifetime in education, my goal was to be independent by acquiring a job and leading a superior quality of life. During my Graduation in 2020, Covid 19 hit the world, and a sudden holdback stopped every individual’s life.
Being a Fresher, I was going through all the possible sources for getting a job which under normal circumstances was a challenging task, and the pandemic made it worse. The companies were laying off people from jobs, reducing salaries, shuffling the workforce and, in extreme cases, even shutting down offices. The few numbers of jobs that may have been available were only for experienced people.
Being a Fresher, I was going through all the possible sources for getting a job which under normal circumstances was a challenging task, and the pandemic made it worse. The companies were laying off people from jobs, reducing salaries, shuffling the workforce and, in extreme cases, even shutting down offices. The few numbers of jobs that may have been available were only for experienced people.
For a year, I was idle at home. One day, while surfing online for job opportunities, I came across a startup engineering company called – Eka Infra Consultants Pvt. Ltd. on LinkedIn. This firm provides consultancy services for Ports, Logistics, Coastal Structures and others, which had been my core education. I said, “Let me Try My Luck Once Again.” I connected to the concerned person through LinkedIn and had a Telephonic Interview as I was staying in Kerala, and the Corporate office was in Mumbai. I was selected and asked to join the Head office in Mumbai. With no second thought, I grabbed this opportunity and landed in Mumbai within a week.
I joined Eka Infra on October 1st, 2021, as a Design Engineer, with a lot of excitement, enthusiasm, and many questions in mind. Coming from a small town to the largest Metropolitan city In India – Mumbai, also called the Financial Capital of the Country, I had several questions. Will I cope with the staff, colleagues, and management? Will I be able to deliver my best and perform as per the company’s expectations? And most importantly, how will I learn more? Who will help and support me in Mumbai? So, I was very thrilled but also a little anxious at the same time.
On my first day at the Eka Infra Office, the entire staff of every department welcomed me. I was given a welcome kit by my HR Manager, which comprised a welcome letter, laptop, and the necessary stationery. This gave me confidence and comforted me as the company believed in taking care of its people.
I faced a challenging role as a Fresher with no experience, but a supportive team was ready to help me anytime. I gained knowledge from senior engineers, project managers, and higher designated people, and the top management was also available whenever I sought their guidance.
During the initial months, I spent time understanding different projects, the working culture, and the people’s working patterns. Eka Infra also collaborated with external associates for various consultancy services. The company gave me space for learning and growth. I managed everything from the start to the project’s accomplishment with the team members’ help and guidance. Within a few months, I was given a “Project Manager” job – a completely new experience.
Being a Design Engineer, I was also allowed to visit Gopalpur Port, where Eka Infra managed Major Project for the PMC works. I got to see the breakwater construction, loading and unloading at the berths, and material handling systems, and it was a great learning experience for me. A structural audit of an ICD facility was another project where we did the structural auditing of the warehouses and other buildings, which taught me a lot about structural strengths, loads and their distributions, cracks & its reason, and more. I have learnt a lot and still learning as I complete each day of my work. From my initial thought of “Will I be able to…, my thinking is now Yes I am able to do… ”
Though Eka Infra is a startup company and has completed 4 successful years, the organization follows a systematic work process with international standards and procedures and maintains robust quality management services.
As I complete my one-year journey and celebrate with Eka Infra with more responsible positions, I look forward to more successful assignments. Looking back over the past year at Eka Infra, I feel so proud of my journey and happy that I chose to join this organization. The knowledge and experience I gained interacting with all the professionals are immense; it gave me confidence and helped me grow professionally and personally as a much more responsible person.
I still remember the first advice I got from my MD, whom I consider my mentor, that “Sky is the Limit”; this advice always keeps me motivated to come out of my comfort zone. I thank Eka Infra for allowing me to give my best.
