The geotechnical engineering (also known as Geotech) industry is just as vast as the locations and structures a Geotech professional works amidst. Besides the quintessential use of soil and rock mechanics for geologic investigations, this sphere also revolves around evaluating man-made materials, and groundwater, and how these interact with various civil engineering works, including structure foundations and earth retention systems.
To clear the clouds of uncertainty and doubt, we take a look at Lagtib Hassan’s detailed account of being a hands-on Geotech professional. He’s currently the International Business Development Team member at Encardio Rite, a global frontrunner in providing geotechnical instrumentation and sensors.
A Moroccan geologist and geotechnical engineer, Lagtib Hassan joined Encardio Rite in November 2019. Today, he holds the fort by managing the company’s operations in Africa, from Morocco. His day-to-day responsibilities include evolving new lines of business via account prospecting, client relationships, and market analysis, along with achieving organizational goals for targeted business success.
Kicking things off, Lagtib fondly reminisces where his Geotech inclination stems from. “When I was studying, I was always fascinated by the geotechnical field. Especially by the importance that it takes at any construction project. Starting with the project itself, until the safety of this as well as the employees.”
Lagtib emphasizes the notion of excelling at the things we love to do, which drove him towards establishing a lucrative career in this industry. What’s more, he aimed at combining the geotechnical fields with its commercial aspect, which was interesting in itself. All in all, this favored him to excel twice as more and understand how to fulfill various demands a Geotech position could entail.
Be that as it may, the field was never an easy street to navigate. Geotechnical engineering also involves collaboration and teamwork amongst diverse personnel, and this was one of the key hurdles Lagtib had to overcome. “As a search, the only issue that I had is the ability to deal with different persons from different nationalities”, he states.
Lagtib had to deal with multiple people from dissimilar backgrounds. These not only included his team members from 5-6 nationalities but clients from numerous countries as well. He explains how the approach to project management and cost causes such issues. “It’s obvious that investors will always reduce the cost of the project. They think that instrumentation and monitoring are just a waste of time and money. There is evidence that proactive management can be much more cost-effective than reactive repairs for failures. As a result, investment in instrumentation avoids having a re-release if a failure takes place.”, he emphasizes.
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However, that’s all a part and parcel of the job, and Lagtib highlights why this industry is worth the hassles. The geotechnical sphere is one where various types of workforce, from engineers, installation experts, geologists, and monitoring managers to data analysts, IT & telecom engineers, and surveyors, rally together. They all work unitedly, which broadens the scope of this industry and helps organizations undertake construction projects seamlessly.
Lagtib further paints a clear picture of what a Geotech role demands. “What I can say is that this position is not like any usual one, having a usual schedule from 9-5 and 5 days a week. It happens that sometimes, I have to work at night or even on the weekend seeking client satisfaction, which is priceless for the company, and I don’t have a problem with that since I can always find the balance between my professional and personal life”, he mentions.
Moreover, Lagtib also talks about being an adept professional. He explains how Geotech engineers often interact with clients from different countries for various projects. The job will inevitably keep you on your toes, but will also open up multiple doors to help you upskill, upgrade your expertise, and become a go-to professional. Thus, if you wish to work in a not-so-mundane position with multiple hats to don, and the construction world entices you, geotechnical engineering is the top pick.
As an Encardio Rite member, Lagtib talks about the work culture and how it drives him to perform his duties actively. He states, “At Encardio, diversity is the range of different ethnicities, including, but not limited to, race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, social class, physical ability attributes, and national origins.” He also mentions how Encardio Rite appreciates diversity and goes above and beyond to make every employee feel included.
Lagtib also mentions how Encardio encourages members to pitch new ideas and strategies. These provide every team member with their path to pursue, which aligns with the company’s goals and interests. This also fosters a healthy environment where individuals can progress effortlessly and elevate the brand’s value together.
Speaking about the company’s leadership, Lagtib acknowledges the positive attitude of those at the head of the table. “Our leaders don’t give importance if you make a mistake, as long as you learn from it. They don’t emphasize what doesn’t work for the business. On the contrary, they give a lot of importance to opinions and experience sharing and taking initiative” he states. Given the massive diversity that the Encardio team possesses, this positive outlook helps to nurture the countless ideas brought forth through brainstorming. Plus, it also makes every employee feel valued and instills a sense of belonging, a key pillar that every successful organization relies on.
Just like every other job, a Geotech role also includes certain curveballs that may cross your path. Having said that, Lagtib explains how Encardio tackles such challenges with ease. He says, “To find the best solution to an issue, at Encardio, our team always consults one with the other.” Furthermore, the company’s global presence with various profiles on various continents has allowed Lagtib and his coworkers to have a formidable edge when it comes to experience and knowledge.
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In continuation, he also covers Encardio Rite’s aim to be as sustainable as possible. Lagtib describes how the company has put generous thought into this and has taken actions to live up to it. For example, Encardio Rite has installed solar panels to supply energy to numerous manufacturing facilities, green spaces, and other premises essential to their functions. Hence, the company offers everything possible to work comfortably and contribute to satisfying both the brand and its clients.
On a final note, Lagtib sums up the “Geotech Professional” journey by highlighting how the role negates work stress seamlessly. When talking about the job, he mentions, “Sounds interesting, right? Yeah, but stressful. The good point is that you get to visit all these clients and meet them, have a nice moment with them, and then the stress disappears.”