Sai Achyuth Manchella, MBA CPM (2018-2020), Placed at Turner & Townsend

Sai Achyuth Manchella
MBA CPM (2018-2020)
Placed at Turner & Townsend

I was born and brought up in a proud middle-class defence ambience. I decided to pursue Civil Engineering only to start the legacy of becoming a first-generation engineer in my family tree. I belong to Bapatla, a small town in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh but I was privileged to reside in many states, right from when I was a toddler because my father was an air warrior. My smartness was duly recognized everywhere, and I was looked at with confidence that I'd be able to pull-off anything which I am given with. From childhood, I was known to stand apart, and for my critical observations. They've been the pillars of my confidence and achievements today. After I graduated first class with distinction from what is looked at like the best college in the district, even though I was placed and had a career opportunity, to get a bright head start and do a job that matches my skills more particularly, I decided to join the RICS School of Built Environment, and rest is history that I wanted to see.

Any advice to students considering joining RICS SBE?
There is no school like RICS SBE. If you want to be ahead of others in the race of becoming construction professional. You're at the right place.

How did the MBA program at RICS SBE help you?
Honestly, I never knew they teach from the ABC to the XYZ of construction. If you want ONE word, it would be "EXPOSURE". Keeping aside the high value of a degree, exposure is what you get the most. So many guest lectures, advanced teaching methodology, down to earth professors with all the time you have with them, the program helped me at every instance of my life.

How was life at RICS SBE? (Campus, faculty, activities, events)
Life at SBE is fun. Many would say that it is a roller coaster. It was far more, like a roller coaster, without rails at jet speed, mazing into the stratosphere, to the dark side of the moon beyond aliens, and back to earth. The activities will be so many that, you'll have no time in participating all. They say everybody gets 24 hours in a day, here you get activities and events running 48 a day. You wouldn't have time. However, if you carefully plan, you'll nourish yourself. The faculties are like parents. You'll feel the parenthood with all the faculties. The campus has in house labs fitted with all the softwares one needs to get hands-on.

What was your experience while studying at RICS SBE?
It surpassed my expectations. I thought it would be a usual day like my grad. But this was completely packed. I always maintained a balance between studies, sports and extra-curricular. I did it here as well, but it was challenging. After all those classes, going to the ground, practising cricket, football and badminton (in which I represented school) and then preparing for debates, dance and rapping, looked almost impossible to me. No amounts of manometers can gauge it. But as they say, diamonds do not become diamonds just like that. This school not just prepares but also nurtures diamonds and this presence is evident in the construction circles not just in India but abroad as well.

What were you doing before coming to RICS SBE?
I was preparing for engineering entries in the Indian Army. I was conference out. I immediately joined RICS SBE after my graduation.

Where did you get placed?
I got placed at Turner & Townsend.

Where did you intern? How did the internship help you?
I was interning at Mace Project and Cost Management. Right from the kick-off meeting, we learnt how to plan, execute and monitor the work. We were assigned with the Technical Due Diligence of High-Value Assets of important properties belonging t reputed clients. The job required caution at every step, responsibility in tonnage. This not just developed my technical skills but also improved my life skills and taught me how to deal with such pressure and work under it. It was a couple of months-long journey of real-life construction scenarios. From the shirts draped in sweat to the parties in five stars. It showed us how everything feels and prepared us for the job interviews

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
I look at myself as a construction professional, with MRICS tag.