Getting to know Jonahan Castillo

On this occasion we will meet Jonahan Castillo, who has been working at Mar Azul for several years in multiple and outstanding projects as a project engineer. Always with a genuine personality and a smile that makes him stand out from the whole team, this charismatic man from Herrera defines himself as a friendly, humble and persistent person.

Jonahan is a graduate of Civil Engineering at the Technological University of Panama, achieving his first experiences in the field of civil engineering, from the basics, —as he tells us— carrying out quality control work and soil studies. From there he went on to work in the construction of high-end residential housing, then in residential and commercial buildings.

What is Jonahan like outside of the workplace?

He tells us that in his free time, he tends to have family barbecues, enjoy his children, go to the beach, go for walks in the fresh air, and watch movies. He also really enjoys learning a new skill.

What has most represented a change in his life was the fact of being a father again: «When my son was born, the first thing he did was pout with his mouth and it is something that is recorded in your mind. This taught me to value my parents’ efforts towards us even more, since you see yourself in that role, in which you know that you have to take care of someone above all things, transmit values in the midst of a society that today day is short of them, which becomes a very difficult task but surely, with work and support from my wife, we will achieve it.

About Mar Azul

Jonahan has been working as part of our team since 2018 in many successful projects. He also has many years of previous experience in the construction sector. For this reason, we asked him about what he is most passionate about in his work in the sector. This was his response: «Each new lesson learned that having completed a project leaves you and the expectation of improving on the next one.”

Within your career in this company, what has been an important experience? «At Mar Azul Projects, we had the opportunity to implement a quality management system where everything is duly documented through each of the protocols that are carried out in the different stages and/or disciplines that make up a certain project, and this is something that you do not find in all the companies in the sector. It entails a challenge, but the teaching and discipline that it gives you is invaluable.»

An experience or anecdote from these years working with Mar Azul?

«When I applied to work at Mar Azul Projects, they asked me if I knew anyone in the company and my answer was a resounding no because, until then, I didn’t know anyone here. However, it turns out that the person who would interview me later was a classmate from school and university (today she no longer works with us) and the engineer whom I would replace was also known to me from the university. Today, that person returned and we shared in the development of a new project.»

What advice would you share with us?

In your years of experience in the sector and your experience with all kinds of personalities, do you have any advice that you would like to share with us? «Without a doubt: You can be whatever you want to be.»

In your years of experience in the sector and your experience with all kinds of personalities, do you have any advice that you would like to share with us?

To conclude, what do you consider to be the five keys to achieving both professional and personal goals?

«In both facets I believe that, to achieve any objective,

→ the first thing you have to do is visualize yourself fulfilling it and feeling the excitement of achieving it;

→ then, you must propose how you are going to achieve it through a brainstorming session from which you will select how to do it;

once the how has been identified, then you must define in what time you are going to achieve it and what processes, activities or stages you must complete to reach that objective, establishing dates or times for each one of them;

→ then you must follow up on this planning and measure whether you are doing what is arranged to comply with the plan that you have already drawn up;

→ and last but not least, be persistent. If you stray along the way, focus again on what you will feel when you achieve that goal, so that you can resume actions until you see the goal accomplished. And accompany these five objectives with a celebration, do the lessons learned exercise, and continue with new objectives.»