Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I view myself 5 years later with achievements in 3 aspects:

First: Independence in terms of work assignments
(eg. For the first few years, we fresh entries will generally need countless guidance and advice from seniors when problem arises. In 5 years, I trust that I will be the person whom will be able so solve these problems utilizing the industrial knowledge that I have gained for the pass 5 years. If problems persist, I expect myself to be able to negotiate a solution independently with clients'/ contractors' with sound advices combining feasibility and practicability that will satisfy both parties.

Secondly: Contribution to the company
(In my humble opinion, working in a company is not just about completing tasks given and getting salary out of it. It is rather how you contribute your knowledge, time and talent to the company that will help in the company's operations.
eg. In civil engineering consultancy firms, we design buildings in accordance to standard codes, while these codes are constantly renewed & revised, there is a need to produce new spreadsheets to cater for new design codes. Contribution in terms of writing a new and usable spreadsheet for the company is an example how it will smoothen the design operation.

Lastly: Acknowledgment by the company
(Getting appointed by the company to lead a project is a good example of how a company acknowledge your skills. This 3rd aspects highlights that with more responsibility means that the company trusts you more on delivering results. In view of the above, I believe I am able to prove myself suitable to handle various projects and gain acknowledgment from the company.

Last day in SSP

TYJ
Said "For a starter, designing the whole gantry by yourself, that's considered quite good already"
Specialty : Commands short keys of software, knowledgeable in Adobe Photoshop (photoshoping engineering data!), pro in crackwidth and concrete stress block.

WJN
Said "Hah? y slow? ur retaining wall so fast wat"
Specialty : Comprehend various codes very quickly(AASHTHO), can give comparison between codes very clearly (BS8110 and 5400), pro in column design and load cases consideration.

WWW
Said "must understand the concept, if not it'll be a fundamental conceptual error, engineering is not all about maths, it's also about seeing the things in 3D, imagine the behavior and movement of the element."
Specialty : looking at things that other people neglect (i've brief TYJ and HMS on my design calculations and both have no questions on it, but once i went up to WWW, he noticed that the gantry used piles and so he questioned about the pile's forces. Right away he pointed and asked, what does the -ve axial load doing there? I was stunned. I tried to defend but no match to a 30+ rich with experience engineer. )
Lesson learnt "forces on 1 element sometimes is not related to the other element" eg. -ve and +ve axial loads on piles does not means that downward and upward forces are acting on the pilecap.


HMS
Lesson learnt "+ve and -ve directions of the forces/ moments must be clear so that people ask what caused that moment to act in that direction, we can explain"

Mr. Chin
Quotes "He might be a big boss next time"

Mr. Ronan
Quotes "He might be giving us jobs next time"

All in all, though many mistakes were made in designing just a gantry, i think i have achieved much more with the mistakes that i've done, I've done with what most engineers did, designing steel elements which i think i'm the first in that floor whom have design according to BS5950 for a few months. It's an honor. Communicating with drafter, asking him to draft the things that i want. (Before this i wondered how engineers are able to draft a drawing so detail, but i found out, once you put ur hands on it and design the gantry, u will know what to put and things that are supposed to be in the drawing) getting signatures from bosses and autocad manager to get ur design approved, especially the CEO's signature, aimed to get his today, but too bad, theory not strong kena bomb then he refuse to sign dy just because of 1 -ve value and that negative value is hidden in a lump of values(how good is he rite?). and i tot i was the only 1 doing mistakes, untill i found out that 1 engineer prolly 4-5 more experience than i am, does more obvious mistakes =D so it's quite an achievement to me rite? furthermore i had no detailed reference or seniors watsoever to refer to, just the codes man and simplified calculations by previous engineer.. bloody BS codes... all in all, i think that's wat being an engineer is all about,
1)it is constant learning and reading of BS codes,
2)if u try to provide margin, u must have considerable reasons to support ur design.
3)not allowing previous data to influence ur emotions but estimate values based on facts
it's like really doing engineering work! thank god for giving me such an experience. nvm... now for the final year of my study days, there are only a handful of things i wana do:
1) increase theory knowledge (concrete stress block, crack width, cobels, post tensioning, pile reaction),
2) increase analytical and detail oriented behavior (no sleep at noons, if sleepy-get coffee!!),
3) control the emotional side of me and instruct! working out there is all about instructing!!!
4) use right hand more!

but just remember this quote "everywhere u work, either today or tomorrow when you come back to the office, u'll face the same problem, so why not complete it on the first day on the first attempt!"

SSPSB's CEO

07th July 2009 is the date i got myself realized by a company CEO, CEO are the people you can only see pictures of, in The Star business columns; people who above everyone else in the company or board of directors whom were elected as the leader of the company; people whom have distinguish personality, character and result oriented; whom for your information, you should know how detail oriented he is since he is CEO of an engineering firm; and whom above everything else asked me to go see him today(i think was because i've written a good testimony for myself and he wanted to see me =) or because i've asked him out for lunch on the previous day that elevated his curiosity in wanting to meet me) For neither reasons, i think we have spoken for more than 5 sentences and that is sufficient with the fact that our relationship is between CEO and TRAINEE basis. And i think his mood today is particularly good, his humorous side of him is like any other guys outside.. .and he is flirty too. Few of his "jokes" still fresh on my mind

He was talking to a female colleague "I'll update the songs if you promise you sing"
He was talking to us while leaving the karaoke room "No girls sing one, no point staying, I'm leaving now"
He threat me cucumber as our brief meeting sessions ended and said "No need to invite me for lunch la, not need to be so formal, here i treat you cucumber, it's healthy, good for your health"

What a joker, am eating his cucumber now. till then, hopefully i'd be able to take a picture of him before i leave this company. Btw, he graduated from UM in 1976, which makes him 35 years more experience than I am. *GASP* That's quite rich in experience and a huge.... gap.

Civil Engineering design calculation is as simple as form 3 Add Maths

On the ambitious side of me....
It's true~! It's like maths and it's kinda easy to get a hang of it because your doing it EVERYDAY!

On the emotional side of me....
Can everybody stop posting pictures/events/situations that "you know you cannot afford that luxury but still go ahead with it because it gives you the sense of satisfaction when everybody in your circle starts to leave comments on your pictures after you post them on facebook" Please la, life is not about doing something that you can't afford. Certain enjoyment is understandable, but to spend enormously just for a second of it is a waste of your own (parent's, as at 3/07/2009 the people i'm mentioning in this blog are still students) money.