Career Story: Shore-based Marine Engineer
My career so far
I began my shore-based career as a multidisciplinary engineer, rotating through propulsion systems, piping, pressure vessels and statutory reviews. This gave me the opportunity to collaborate with senior and principal engineers across various disciplines, helping me develop strong communication skills, and building a broader understanding of different equipment and systems in the maritime industry.
Today, as an Engineer II at the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), I work at the heart of vessel safety and technical assurance.
My typical day at ABS
Every day at ABS brings something new. I start my day by checking emails and attending a quick team catch-up to align priorities. My focus then shifts to design reviews and responding to urgent client inquiries.
Morning is typically my prime focus time, which I dedicate to working on anything from design reviews to new thrusters and propulsion shaft designs, to analysing propeller blades for vessels. I work with colleagues across different disciplines, discussing ways to solve complex challenges and learning from each other.
After lunch, usually followed by a short walk with a colleague, I catch up with my manager to check in on any important updates, then continue working on design reviews. Before the end of day, I revisit my plans to assess whether I’m on track with the day’s progress and write down notes on tasks I may need to continue the following day.
My biggest lesson
One of the most valuable lessons I've learned in my career is the importance of reflection and teamwork. Equally important is reflecting on the mistakes I've encountered by understanding what went wrong, how I can improve, and how to avoid repeating them in the future. This mindset of continuous learning and self-awareness has helped me evolve professionally, and I believe it's a powerful approach for anyone starting out in the industry.
I'm truly grateful for the guidance and support from my managers and senior teammates. Their leadership provides a collaborative and respectful environment and working together as a team has shown me the value of shared goals, open communication, trust, and respect.
My proudest moment
During the early days of my career, I was selected to be part of a group called the ABS Engagement Champions. This group brought together a few colleagues from different countries across ABS to find ways to increase company engagement through things like community outreach projects, internal recognition events and other, approved ‘outside the office’ initiatives.
While this may seem simple, facilitating these events pushed me out of my comfort zone to achieve what once felt impossible. The effort was well worth it. Seeing smiles and joy from colleagues from our global offices was incredibly rewarding.
What success looks like to me
For me, long term success is growth, purpose and embracing challenges for the safety, sustainability, and innovation of our maritime world. Success also means having the courage to step up to challenges, even when they feel intimidating.
I am currently working towards Chartered Engineer status as part of that journey.
My advice for those starting out
On my first day, my manager told me something I’ve never forgotten: “I didn’t hire you because you’re an Einstein—I hired you because of your personality.” It reminded me that technical skills are important, but values, attitude and how we treat others matter just as much.
One Chinese saying has also stayed with me throughout my career:’机会是留给有准备的人’, which means ‘opportunities are for those who are prepared’. It reminds me to stay proactive, open‑minded and ready to step up when an opportunity appears.
My Experience with IMarEST
One of the best things about being an IMarEST member is the access to free webinars and seminars, which provide valuable insights and continuous learning opportunities.
Recently, I also joined the newly launched mentoring program, which has been incredibly inspiring. The guidance and advice I’ve received from my mentor have been truly valuable, helping me grow both professionally and personally.
