Turning an obstacle into an opportunity.
Graduating from mechanical engineering, he found it hard to land his first job without any experience. Not one to be easily defeated, he got creative and looked for opportunities in unusual places. He started in operations instead and quickly mastered the daily maintenance challenges. “The best way to learn is always hands-on in the field,” he shared.
Broader horizons pave the way for growth.
Ready for new challenges, he landed a new mining job in New Caledonia. Moving from Mali to the other side of the world was a big move, but an easy choice. He fit into his new environment easily. “I always take the time to get to know people and build strong relationships with them when I arrive. It makes everything easier,” he confesses.
Hungry for more knowledge.
His passion for mining centres around the constant learning. “Meeting new people always presents a unique opportunity to gain more knowledge” he declares. “Every experience can teach you something valuable if you’re ready.” Through all of his career adventures, he’s gained experience with large scale machines having worked with all major mining machines brands. He enjoys defining new processes, analysing components, and discovering new techniques.
Adaptability is the key to a growth mindset.
When we asked about the drawbacks of his job, he didn’t have an answer. “Challenges are just opportunities to learn another way of working,” Abdoulaye explains. “And I believe in learning as much as I can to be prepared for success.” The mining sector is filled with rich learning opportunities and he enjoys the demanding pace of work. While the experience has been amazing, the hardest part is the long-distance relationship with his wife and kids.
Open minds find the best adventures.
Feeling the COVID impacts, he was ready for a new mission. His unique background enabled a smooth transition to become a maintenance planner. Working with one of the industry’s best German machine brands is a great place to land. “I feel incredibly lucky for this opportunity and I was blown away by how quickly Easy Skill helped me relocate from Nouméa to Koné. They handled all logistics and it was painless,” shared Abdoulaye. Both the client and consultant are highly satisfied: this is a perfect match!
The power of one team.
His focus is establishing a shared set of objectives for the diverse maintenance team to achieve. Alignment is critical for success. “I want to be the world champion, but as a team,” he states. He’s enthusiastic about what he can achieve in this role over the next 5 years and can’t wait to see what he will learn and accomplish here.
Finding happiness is a brave mission.
Abdoulaye knows it’s not easy to find your way in the world and to choose an adventure that is right for you. There will always be obstacles, but he’s confident they’re worth fighting for. His takeaway lesson for those considering a similar path is this: “Leave the hesitation and doubt behind. You are more capable than you give yourself credit for and can take on whatever challenges that come your way by drawing on your optimism and courage.”
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