1. jziv
   

   offline

   Member

   Tim, or others who would like to weigh in-

   I have enjoyed this website, and the software seems very useful. Tim
   seems to have harnessed a lot of practical knowledge with his engineering
   background - a good blend of knowledge that I think all engineers should have.

   I would like to ask if you have any advice for a young
   engineer - I am almost 2 years into a professional engineering career after obtaining a B.S. in civil engineering. I am doing a lot of site design and drafting, but I feel like I need a more specialized career path, one that includes engineering theory and practical application.

   My question is what type of position should a young engineer seek employment at to build that good blend of experience doing structural design. Any other opinions regarding training, education or experience building would be appreciated also.

   Structural engineering seems to be a very specialized field and a hard one to get your feet wet in. Any advice?

   -Jon in Cleveland

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   Posted 1 year ago #

2. Tim Garrison
   

   offline

   Administrator

   Good morning Jon,

   I am surprised that you're finding structural engineering is tough to get in to. Well, actually, right now with the recession, any construction-related field might be hard. But in normal times, good structural engineer trainees should be in demand. More so, I think, than civil engineering trainees (I've hired both over the years.)

   My advice is to apply to companies with a good reputation that do the kind of work you're interested in. The most important thing for you is to work under the direction of an old pro or pros. What you learned is school doesn't mean much compared to what you'll learn in practice.

   It wouldn't hurt to take seminars and continuing education courses. However, if money is tight, I wouldn't bother. You need real experience first and foremost.

   It would help you tremendously to actually work in the field building things. Yes, strap on a tool belt and get dirty. That's how I started and it is THE thing that sets me apart from my competition. I know how a building's parts and pieces go together because I built it. I know how to weld, operate heavy equipment, run any power tool well, etc. So when I design in my office, in my mind I'm building it. I put myself in the shoes of the guy in the field, making sure I spec things that can be constructed in a certain order, using industry-standard tools. I feel so strongly about this, I think it should be a requirement of all engineering graduates to have at least 3-years construction experience.

   Hope that helps. Good luck!

   Posted 1 year ago #

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