Contributing to growth and excellence

Senior electrical engineering manager Anish Sasidharan is a prolific IET volunteer driven by his desire to make a positive impact on the engineering community.

Chartered engineer Anish is now in his 16th year of a varied and challenging career that has spanned several multinational corporations, including Laing O’Rourke (his current employer, based in Dubai), Jacobs, Aecom, Bechtel, Sepam and Exyte.

He has worked on an impressive range of commercial and institutional building service projects throughout the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region, including four international airports (in UAE, Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia), Dubai’s Metro Green Line, Shanghai’s Disney resort theme park and two data centres (UAE and Kuwait).

Anish’s experience of applying to become a chartered engineer inspired him to become an IET volunteer. He was living and working in Oman at the time and was keen to achieve chartered engineer (CEng) status through the IET. “The journey towards CEng registration involved significant personal growth and development. The process of preparing for and achieving CEng registration required self-discipline, perseverance and a strong work ethic. It gave me a great opportunity to showcase my ability to set goals and work towards them, even in the face of obstacles,” Anish explains.

His CEng application was successful, and he views this as a personal accomplishment that reflects his dedication, expertise and commitment to the engineering profession, as well as his ability to contribute to its advancement.

The experience opened his eyes to the challenges that many professionals face in understanding the chartership process. This was the spark that ignited his desire to volunteer: “I wanted to provide support and education to help others achieve their CEng goals, so I approached the IET about becoming a professional registration adviser [PRA].”

Anish completed his PRA training in June 2021, then launched himself into the world of IET volunteering in two equally important roles: PRA and mentor. “As a PRA I’ve had the privilege of helping more than 50 applicants – colleagues, friends and clients in the Middle East and India regions – to attain CEng status through the IET. “I have also mentored many IET members seeking CEng registration, providing advice on career paths, job search strategies and professional development opportunities.

“My aim in both roles is to demystify the process, build confidence and guide candidates towards the achievement of their professional goals.”

Anish’s disciplined approach to time management enables him to balance his volunteer commitments with his demanding role as a construction design professional and his busy family life. He completes tasks like application reviews and brief calls with applicants in his lunch breaks and focuses on IET PRA activities during evenings and weekends. “My volunteer activities have helped me enhance essential skills that are highly valued in the professional world, like project management, teamwork, communication and leadership. It often involves working on projects that use cutting-edge technologies, and this exposure helps me to keep up to date with the latest trends.”

Volunteering provides many opportunities to meet new professionals too, which he finds hugely rewarding. “It brings together individuals who are passionate about engineering and technology. This creates a unique chance to connect with professionals who share similar backgrounds, interests and career goals.

“Building relationships with like-minded individuals can help in developing valuable professional networks. These connections can provide important insights into industry trends and best practices, emerging technologies, job opportunities and potential collaborations.”

Anish’s advice is to never stop learning and to embrace every chance to learn and explore emerging technologies. And he ensures he follows his own advice, as Anish now has his sights firmly set on becoming an IET Fellow!