SUCCESS STORY

Khashiff Nurse

Facilities/Building Management Systems Technician

Bachelor of Applied Science in Utilities Engineering – Mechanical Option

My name is Khashiff Nurse. I grew up in the rural communities of Speyside and subsequently Goldsborough, so it is safe to say that I am a man of the soil, a countryman at heart.

I am currently a Facilities/Building Management Systems Technician at the Engineering Department – Scarborough General Hospital, Tobago Regional Health Authority (TRHA). As a teenager, I was always fascinated with anything engineering. I always enjoyed figuring out how things worked and why they did, so I guess that my career path is no surprise.

After completing the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) exams in 2012, I immediately enrolled in the National Engineering Technician’s Diploma in Instrumentation Engineering program at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT). The transition was tough, given that I was still an adolescent living away from my family, and attending school in Trinidad pursuing further education. However, I persevered and completed this program.

Once the Diploma was completed, I resumed studies in 2018 reading for the Bachelor’s Degree in Utilities Engineering, specializing in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Trinidad and Tobago.

The qualifications necessary for the career path that I have chosen depends on how far you want to go. If you want to remain at the technician’s level, then a Diploma in your relevant field of choice will suffice. However, if you want to go a step further and become an Engineer, a Bachelor’s Degree is the bare minimum you must attain. But to become a Specialist Engineer additional studies in your area of choice will be necessary to verify level of knowledge and expertise.

Most of all, if you want to become more marketable and rise to the top of your field, experience is the best thing you can get when it comes to engineering. Experience will open doors that many Degrees and Certificates cannot. I had to learn this the hard way.

Also important is becoming a Registered Engineer on the Board of Engineers of Trinidad and Tobago. This is compulsory for certain jobs.

The financial assistance that I received from the Department of Advanced Training and Advisory Services (DATAS) was incredible. If you ever ask anyone who did further studies, they will tell you that money is never enough, more so for Tobagonians pursuing studies in Trinidad or any other location. There are just so many expenses to cover: transportation, food, living accommodation, tuition and so on.

If I recall correctly, it was from my second year and onwards of the Degree, when I began receiving financial assistance (Bursary). 

During the first year of my studies, my parents and other family members were my primary source of finances. It was difficult, more so for them because I knew how much they sacrificed for me. The timing of this bursary was therefore perfect. It was just enough to carry me through the final two years of my studies, covering my living expenses and significantly lessened the financial burden on my parents.

To be honest, I did not plan for additional financial support initially. However, when my parents and I saw the opportunity of receiving this support through the DATAS financial assistance, we welcomed and grasped it with both hands. We made the best possible use of it.

The application process for the bursary was a bit tedious, in that many forms had to be filled out and submitted. However, considering the rewards and long-term gains, I would say it was worth it.

The follow-up support from DATAS has been incredible. I was contacted several times after completing my studies, to enquire about my employment status, among other things. It has been two years and counting and I am sometimes still contacted.

Sometimes, I still think about my academic journey to this day. I think my toughest challenge was during my Diploma. I was so very young, so vulnerable and not yet acclimatized to living in Trinidad. Being away from my family and friends for the first time was hard to adapt to but it made me stronger.

I also remember doing my last course in the Diploma. It was just one course and it was offered only in San Fernando from 5.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m. every Wednesday. My routine was I would travel to Trinidad every Wednesday morning and catch the last flight to Tobago at around midnight, then go to work the following morning. When I did my Degree, however, it was a bit less stressful because at that time, I was more mature and already knew what to expect. It was not easy by any means though.

I recall an unforgettable experience in 2019 while walking home one evening. I was held up at gunpoint. I was relieved of my cell phone and wallet with

everything in it. This was not an ideal circumstance but experiences like these make you stronger and wiser. All this is to say, that my journey has not been in the slightest way easy.

Regarding my current occupation, what I like best is that there are so many things that I learn daily. The environment is good for someone just entering the world of engineering.

I had to be patient before getting my current job. After applying at the TRHA head office, it could have been eighteen months to two years before I was called for my interview for this current job. During that time, I worked as an Instructor at MIC Tobago, where I also learned a lot and I am still grateful to have had that opportunity. Ultimately though, my passion is working hands-on in the engineering field, so I took this opportunity.

If I could do it all over again, I do not think I would have it any other way. Maybe I would eliminate some of the bad experiences but ultimately, I would take the same path. What I would do differently, however, is try harder to get more relevant work experience in my younger years. This is easier said than done but in hindsight, I believe I could have done more.

For anyone hoping to pursue a career path in engineering, my advice is to first love your career field. Many times during the journey, it would get so difficult, that you may reconsider your choice. The only thing then that would keep you on course is your reason for choosing that field of study initially. Money cannot be your only driving force.

Secondly, try to learn as much as possible along the way. Sometimes what separates you from others is your knowledge base and your competence in key areas. Also, do not be afraid to learn things outside of your field of study. In the real world, being a well-rounded person is paramount.

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