Dexon TechnologyThanapol Lamontre, a Dexon Inspection Engineer with 9 years of experience, recently shared his career journey with junior inspectors—highlighting four key lessons during a Career Webinar hosted by ASME.
Here’s what he shared:
𝟭. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿
Every career has its good and bad. Inspection work has given Thanapol the opportunity to travel, form strong friendships, and take pride in solving real-world problems that protect people & the environment.
But it comes with challenges. Long hours during turnarounds, returning from site to fill out less-than exciting-reports, and extended periods offshore or on-site with few breaks.
Demanding but, ultimately, worth it.
𝟮. 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
When starting out, Thanapol believed that technical knowledge was the end-all be-all of inspection. All he had to do was properly execute MFL scans of a storage tank floor, interpret the data, and all would be golden.
In reality, inspection is a team effort. The toughest challenges often come from not the assets, but from managing teams, timelines, priorities, and unexpected problems.
Success requires both technical know-how and strong soft skills. Strong leadership. Clear communication. An ability to think through problems systematically. These are just as important as interpreting a butterfly scan.
𝟯. 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱-𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀
Working across Myanmar, Singapore, and the Gulf of Thailand, each project imparted valuable – and sometimes painful – lessons.
Tank inspections reinforced the need for precise communiciation. Offshore work demanded performance under pressure and unforgiving schedules.
𝟰. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗷𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁
To grow in an inspector career, Thanapol highlighted four key points:
• Set clear career goals
• Master the fundamentals
• Apply consistent effort
• Stay humble and eager to learn
Dexon Technology is proud of Thanapol's journey - and even more so to see him helping shape the next generation of inspectors.