Professional growth often comes from experiences that take us beyond our everyday responsibilities. For Kollin Joines, corporate engineering lead at TBEI and an at-large member of the NTEA Generation Next Steering Committee, stepping outside his technical role has created opportunities to strengthen his communication, collaboration and leadership skills. He shares lessons learned along the way and offers advice for other emerging industry professionals.
Q: What professional challenge pushed you outside your usual responsibilities?
As an engineer, my day-to-day work is built around specific responsibilities and areas of technical expertise. Taking on a larger project like a new dump control system gave me the opportunity to expand beyond those responsibilities and gain experience in areas I might not otherwise encounter.
The biggest challenge was learning to look beyond the technical solution. I had to understand customers, work with people in other disciplines and communicate ideas to audiences with very different backgrounds.
Q: What did the experience teach you about listening to customers?
That started with understanding the voice of the customer. During the Ride & Drive at Work Truck Week 2023, while the new product was still in active development, I had the opportunity to hear feedback from people experiencing the system in a real-world setting. Engineering is often focused on solving technical challenges, but developing a successful product also requires a clear understanding of the people who use it.
Listening to customer needs and learning more about their challenges gave me a broader perspective on product development. Rather than focusing solely on how we could engineer a solution, I also had to consider why we were developing it and how it could make the customer’s job easier.
That is one reason opportunities like Work Truck Week are valuable: conversations with people outside your day-to-day work can change how you approach the work itself.
Q: What skills did you develop that you did not expect to need?
I helped build the test stand used during product development, which meant turning concepts into something we could test, evaluate, and refine. Later, demonstrating the technology at industry events, including Work Truck Week, challenged me to explain technical concepts to a broader audience. I also had the opportunity to film training videos, gaining additional experience far outside of my typical engineering responsibilities.
The experience has also taken me into the field. I have traveled to customer locations for training and testing, participated in ride-alongs, and had additional opportunities to hear directly from the people using the equipment. Those situations taught me to ask better questions, listen carefully, and adapt my communication to the people in front of me.
Q: How have industry relationships and opportunities to get involved contributed to your growth?
Working with different teams, spending time with customers and seeing the product in the field helped me look beyond just the engineering side of the project. I also had to learn a lot along the way. Asking questions and working with people who had different areas of expertise helped me build skills I would not have developed through my normal day-to-day work.
Q: What advice would you give other emerging professionals in the work truck industry?
For professionals new to the ever-evolving work truck industry, I think it is important to take advantage of opportunities when they come up. Some of the most valuable lessons can come from unfamiliar responsibilities, conversations with industry peers, and experiences that challenge your assumptions.
Career growth does not always come from having all the answers. Sometimes it comes from being willing to step into something new, work through the challenges, and learn along the way. Those experiences build confidence, broaden your perspective, and prepare you to take on greater opportunities in the future.
Take the next step at Work Truck Week 2027
Develop the skills to lead, communicate and influence others — regardless of your job title. Join fellow emerging industry professionals at NTEA's Generation Next Leadership Workshop & Networking Reception: Leading Before the Title – Communication, Influence and Leadership for the Next Generation, March 10, 2027, from 3–5:30 p.m. at Work Truck Week in Indianapolis.
Explore the Work Truck Week 2027 schedule. Separate registration is required.