When Pradnya Joglekar was growing up in Nagpur, a city in central India, her father would often stress the importance of the “three D’s” – discipline, determination and dedication. These were, he taught his daughter, the keys to success.
Joglekar learned the lesson well. The PSEG senior project manager has drawn inspiration from her father’s words, and said she inherited the tenacity to adhere to the “three D’s” from her mother, an exceptionally strong woman.
After graduating from the prestigious Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Joglekar was an architect in India before immigrating to the United States in 1999.
Once she arrived in the United States, she didn’t waste any time. While waiting for a U.S. work permit, she donated her architectural expertise to Habitat for Humanity, helping to build houses for families in need.
“I did building projects in the New Brunswick area – drafting plans, doing construction and painting, putting in the kitchens, doing gypsum walls, laying carpet and floors.”
Later, Joglekar was an architect at several firms in New York and New Jersey and managed projects for some high profile clients, including the Division of Military & Naval Affairs, Office of General Services, New York City Transit, among others. When the second of her two children was born, she wanted to be closer to home and took a job as a drafter in a gas engineering consulting company, quickly working her way up to managing design and construction gas projects.
Three years ago, she joined PSEG. Today, Joglekar leads a team that manages multi-million-dollar capital projects for the approximately 85 facilities (at more than 55 sites) in New Jersey. For every proposal to redesign a facility or build a new one, her team performs the necessary due diligence, cash flow analyses and a complete evaluation of the potential project.
“At PSEG, I bring together my management and leadership skills along with technical expertise in architecture, construction and gas engineering to solve problems,” Joglekar said.
Joglekar has a passion for sustainability and is especially proud that her work helps ensure that every PSEG facility is designed for efficiency, employing energy-efficient fixtures and finishes, roofs, and heating and cooling systems.
Now that she has 17 years in design and construction jobs under her belt, she can look back at the difficulties she has overcome.
“It’s certainly challenging,” she said. “It took me a lot of time, perseverance and diligence to establish a reputation for myself because there traditionally haven’t been many women – especially South Asian women – in the construction industry. Slowly, that is changing.”
Joglekar is a believer that everyone you meet has something to teach you, and she is grateful for the dozens of people who have offered career advice, support and encouragement along the way.
For women just starting out, she advises, “It’s OK to pace your career and adapt to the changing personal priorities. Don’t give up, keep honing your skills and keep learning.”
Living a full life
Eager for others to benefit from her experience, Joglekar serves as vice president of committees of the PSEG’s Women’s Leadership Alliance, which was established last year to empower women at all levels of the company. The alliance is a voice for women, identifying development needs and promoting networking.
With all her responsibilities at work, Joglekar still finds time for a rewarding home life. She enjoys cooking, gardening, biking, home improvement and working on projects with her son, 11, and daughter, 16. Her husband’s parents and her mother live with them, rounding out the busy household.
“It has been an incredible journey of growing and learning, both in my personal and professional life,” Joglekar said. “The balancing act is definitely a struggle, but has been crucial in my growth as a working woman and a mother. PSEG provides the kind of flexibility, culture and support that is essential.”
It’s not always easy – but you can have it all, Joglekar concluded: “Be the architect of your own life.”
For more information on career opportunities at PSEG, please visit jobs.pseg.com.
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