by
Aidan Freeman
| Oct 26, 2023
When you look back on the early years of your life, do you often recall moments of wonder and excitement? For many, it’s a time when they begin to understand the world, start school and form lasting friendships. Some are settled in their hometowns, whereas others are constantly moving around. For Nasratullah “Nas” Wardag, his early years leaned much towards the latter. At a young age, his family was forced to flee from their home country of Afghanistan, with his father remaining behind to serve as a pilot in the Afghani Army. In 1993, his family sought refuge in Pakistan, where Nasratullah spent the majority of his childhood and where he received his education. During this time, his uncle began the process of sponsorship for Nasratullah and his family. In 2005, the family moved from Pakistan to Afghanistan before finally moving to the United States in 2008, pursuing a brighter future.
Migrating to the United States, specifically to Lafayette, IN didn’t instantly guarantee a better life. It required a lot of work. Coming to the states, Nasratullah recounted how little English he knew, mentioning that “the only word I knew how to say was hello.” For the initial six months in his new country, he dedicated 12 hours a day to studying the English language at the Lafayette Adult Resources Academy until he became fluent.
In 2010, Nasratullah went on to study at Ivy Tech. He began by completing his general studies credits before taking a break to gain work experience in his new city. During this time, he became a supervisor at a local warehousing firm. While there, he started hearing about Wabash and the opportunities it offered.
“Even when I was in college, my main goal was to start working with Wabash because it’s a nationwide company,” he recalled. “I took a break from school mainly to get experience and become a valuable asset for when I did join.”
As he advanced in his college studies, he transferred to Purdue University in 2016, where he pursued mechanical engineering technology with the dream of eventually joining Wabash. To improve his qualifications, he took a two-term internship as an electrical project engineer and served as a teacher’s assistant for some of his classes. However, with the pandemic on the horizon, his plans to work at Wabash were put on a temporary hold.
“When I graduated, I didn’t have a job for six months,” he shared. “I started working at a different manufacturing company as a supervisor for a while to get some more experience in a manufacturing setting.”
After his long journey, Nasratullah joined Wabash in April 2023, eager to establish roots within the company. He secured a position as a production supervisor in Lafayette, IN. Despite his relatively short time with the company, he is optimistic for what is possible at Wabash. His key driver for joining our team was hearing the stories of potential opportunity and growth. In addition, he’s taking the initiative to embrace our “Always Learn” principle by observing all levels of the organization before seeking to advance within the company.
“I had a chance to apply for a mechanical engineer position,” explained Nasratullah. “But when I saw a position as a supervisor, I took it as an opportunity to learn everything on the floor first. I wanted to get a lay of the land, so when I do apply for that engineering position, I can see what is doable.”
Today, Nasratullah works closely with his team in a managerial role, constantly striving to expand his knowledge. He actively participates in company-offered classes and shadows various departments to learn more. He considers his colleagues as a second family, often spending more time with them than he does by himself at home.
“I have a really unique team,” he concluded. “They’re like brothers and sisters. I want to provide for them, give them a good life, and ensure they have a meal on their tables tomorrow, just like my uncle did for me.”
We asked Nasratullah if he had any advice for those looking to get started in their career:
“Dream big. Anything in this world is possible if you work hard. If there’s a negative side to something, there’s also a positive side to it as well. When I was younger, I would see people and think, I wish I had what those people have. But we’re all human beings, and if you work hard for what you want, you can achieve it. If you want to work for a company, treat it like it’s your own company. When you start to perceive it like you own it, you will do whatever it takes to be successful in your role.”