Photo credit: Luvo Productions Ltd.
Vikash Maharaj is a Risk Based Inspection Lead with UK-based Vysus Consulting T&T (formerly Lloyd’s Register) and his role involves developing preventative condition monitoring strategies for high-risk assets in energy sector facilities. Vikash’s 18 years in the energy industry have molded and shaped him for this critical role and is proof that experience and immersion can exert a powerful and life-changing influence on one’s career choice and path.
Vikash’s professional journey, one which he could never have envisaged, started when like so many young men, he graduated from Secondary school and with no clear idea of what he had an inclination for, opted for diploma courses in AutoCAD and architectural design. The skill set he acquired gave him access to an opportunity with one of T&T’s lead NDT service companies, which retained him for 10 years and where he began developing his expertise. Vikash remembers the overwhelming feeling of awe which he felt on his first few visits to Plants in Point Lisas to inspect and observe equipment and processes for the company’s clients, among them bp, Proman, PLNL and other major upstream and downstream industry players. As he shared with us, “Seeing these massive pipes and boilers, immediately triggered a curiosity about the physics behind them and fired a desire within me to understand how it all worked’. Unable to curb this passion, he explored training towards certification in areas which further prepared him for the role in asset integrity management: a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering at UTT and international programmes affiliated with Standards such as ASME and API.
There is a deep feeling of reward which he derives from having the ability and the responsibility to ’bring value to the sector by using raw data to predict and prevent negative outcomes in a critical environment’. There is also tangible excitement and fulfillment when he speaks about how this was achieved and he proudly expresses the impact which the ‘nurturing environment and growth-oriented culture of Vysus’ have had on his career development. Having demonstrated natural talent and passion in the field, he was given the opportunity to shadow an international SME expert based in Calgary. In his words ‘the learning from that experience was exponential and there was so much space to participate in the exercise freely and feel confident that one’s ideas and suggestions would be valued and given consideration’. Still intrigued and excited by the tremendous responsibility which he and his team have towards not just their clients, but the safety of the sector, he considers the ‘value that my team and I bring to a site or operation like two sides of a coin; the responsibility and accountability is tremendous because of the possible outcomes, but the reward is the fulfillment that comes with achieving the end goal which is to optimize operations and ensure that assets and equipment are maintained to prevent catastrophic failure.’
Reflecting on how his career has unfolded, he emphasized the importance for upcoming professionals to capitalize on opportunities in the energy industry. He has also observed a shift in culture, from leaders who in the past took a more draconian approach to managing people, noting that ‘leaders are more open to employees sharing their views and ways of looking at problems; in the past, there was an insistence almost that employees should learn the hard lessons and so there was less likelihood of mentoring and guiding, but thankfully that is changing; leaders listen more, show empathy and encourage initiative’. His advice for his peers and those considering a similar path is that they always deliver their best effort at whatever they choose and seek a solution-based approach to challenges.
Despite the volatility and uncertainty of the energy sector, Vikash has no plans to transition to any other industry. There is a quiet passion about being able to contribute to Trinidad and Tobago's world-class energy sector and a respectful admiration for the resilience of companies that continue to operate and innovate in order to keep this engine of the economy moving.
If one had to sum up Vikash’s approach to life and the critical role that comes with being an RBI Lead, it would be ‘Work passionately, carefully and honestly at what you do, trust your ability and competence, engage openly and fairly with your team and clients and value the experience and knowledge of others, in a sub-sector that has far-reaching implications for you and others.