Photo By Ashley Snipes | Ali Zainulabdeen briefs about project P728, a brand new C-12W Aircraft Maintenance...... read more read more
Construction Manager Ali Zainulabdeen would never have guessed a little over a decade ago he would be where he is now, but good opportunities and the flip of a coin gave him a chance to build his career and a strong family of friends at Officer in Charge of Construction Florence.
Ali moved from Iraq to Philadelphia, PA in 2012 and entered into a graduate program at Philadelphia University (now Thomas Jefferson University) where he was able to earn a Master’s in Construction Management.
“At first when I came, I worked as a surveyor for the residential sector, then I got my master’s and I worked for an architect firm,” said Ali. “I didn’t work on the construction side first because I wanted to
start from the beginning… so when I switched to construction I’d have the background I needed.”
Ali received a job offer to be a Construction Manager (CM) from Unified Business Technologies, Inc. in late 2019, and they asked if he wanted to work at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point or Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. Ali hadn’t visited North Carolina and wasn’t familiar with the base names.
“I said ‘I don’t know, I don’t know anything about the area’,” laughed Ali. “So I flipped a coin and picked Camp Lejeune.”
After a few years with UBT and OICC Florence, a civil service CM position opened up, so he applied and
was offered the position.
Ali enjoys how he is able to learn something new every day.
“For me, it’s a school, it’s like now I’m a student and everyday I’m learning something, either from Mike
Bridges, my former supervisor, or the engineering technicians who are way more experienced than I am,” said Ali. “Every day you will learn something on site, or on life, or on people.”
He is also taking this student approach to his career goals, setting benchmarks along a path toward for larger goal.
“In the beginning when I started here, my goal was for everyone to know me and my hard work,” said Ali. “This year, I’m trying to complete my Certified Construction Manager [CCM]. And before we finish
OICC Florence, I plan to complete the FE and PE exams.”
The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam is the first step toward becoming a licensed Professional Engineer. Once he receives his FE, he will then take the Principles and Practices of Engineering (PE) exam.
But Ali isn’t all work and no play. In his free time, he tries to spend as much time outdoors with friends, hiking trails, or attending festivals. He also is a soccer and football fan, cheering on Real Madrid or the Philadelphia Eagles whenever they play. These hobbies have allowed him to build a family in the New River office through shared interests and good ol’ American football rivalry chat.
“These guys are all really good,” he said. “I spend more time here with them so yeah, it is my second family.”
Ali is currently assigned to package 7 on Marine Corps Air Station New River, and is the CM for four projects, including two new maintenance hangars, a classroom building, and a new barracks for Marines
and Sailors stationed at MCAS New River.
| Date Taken: | 05.05.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 09.12.2023 14:24 |
| Story ID: | 453256 |
| Location: | CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 123 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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