Project 1.2.1 Career Example

Introduction

Do you want a job . . . or a career? Many people go to their job every day and consider going home as the highlight of the day. Other people choose a career based on their interests and talents so they can enjoy their work and contribute to society in a meaningful way. In this way they can enjoy their career and the work they do. Have you considered that you have a talent to offer to other people and the world? If you choose a job rather than a career, you deprive yourself of the opportunity to contribute to interesting and challenging projects which can benefit people and communities around the world. You owe it yourself and others to pursue something that matches your interests and talents.

Equipment

  • Access to reference sources and the Internet
  • Video capture device
  • Optional – video editing software

Procedure

In this activity you will imagine yourself 30 years from now. In this scenario you have chosen a career in or related to civil engineering or architecture.

A well-respected television show has decided to feature three people on their program. The program will be designedto capture the path to success that each person took. They have identified 150 people (you being one of them) to pick from. To be considered you must submit two things. The first is thoughtful answers to the questions below.

The other item is a 20 second video. The reviewers would like to see your camera presence and highlights from the interview questions and possibly explanations and/or images of some of your best work. You will want to impress them with yourself, your work, and your creativity with the video.

You have been emailed a number of questions to answer. Some questions are of a personal nature, while most are specific to your career path. Return these along with your video.

You will need to conduct research to accurately portray the path taken. Accuracy is a crucial component to completing this project. If your statements are found to be inaccurate or unrealistic, you will not be considered for the interview.

At the end of many questions you have been asked to cite your source. Where indicated you must cite any sources that you used to respond to the questions.

  1. What is your age?

36

  1. Where do you live?

New York

  1. What do you like to do outside of work?

Enjoy time with family and friends, read books, go to movies, hike and kayak.

  1. What is your job title?

StructuralDesign Engineer

  1. When and why did you choose your career path?

I started out studying architecture and took a strucutral engineering course. I found that I really enjoyed structural engineering and liked the math and science that was missing in the architecture program.

  1. What is the name of your company or employer?

I currently work as a structural engineer for ABC Engineering and Construction.

  1. Describe your primary duties and skills. [Cite your source(s)]

In my current position, I designand inspect bridges, and act as a project manager on some projects.At previous jobs, as an engineer, I have designed building structures, written construction specifications, and prepared cost estimatesfor various commercial and industrial projects. I have also performed engineering studies to predict the seismic performance of buildings and forensic studies to determine failure modes in structures.

  1. Describe your physical work environment.

I have workedboth in the office and out in the field. I have my own office and am surrounded by other engineers and technicians in the building. My company employs about 30 engineers and engineering technicians. Field work involves visiting existing bridges, sometimes on land, sometimes by boat, sometimes hanging from a harness to inspect the condition of a bridge. In addition, I often visit the construction site of new bridges that have been designed by my firm.

  1. What is your favorite part of your job?

I enjoy following the construction of bridges and bulidings that I have helped design. Seeing a project completed and become reality is very rewarding. I also enjoy the variety of different projects that I work on and the variety of people that I work with on each design team.

  1. What is your salary? [Cite your source(s)]

I currently make about $80,000 per year.

  1. Which accredited school did you first attend, and what was your degree? [Cite your source(s)]

I attended SUNY Alfred and earned a degree in Archtectural Technology. I then transferred to Clemson University and earned a degree in Civil Engineering with an emphasis in Stuructral Engineering.

  1. Describe in detail three of the courses that you took which are closely related to your current career. [Cite your source(s)]

Structural Analysis - thiscourse required leaning how to design and analyze structures- from simple beams to complex structural systems.

Geotechnical Engineering- this course taught the fundamentals of soil analysis used to determine engineering characteristics such as bearing strength and drainage potential. It also involved the design of foundations to support man-made structures.

Fundamentals of Surveying - this course taught the fundamentals of land surveying and required extensive surveying field work. We learned to determine elevations and distances using surveying equipment, and how to layout construction projects.

  1. Describe the two courses that you considered most challenging. [Cite your source(s)]

Thermodynamics- this was a course that is required for Mechanical Engineers, but Civil Engineering students were also required to take it. I did not really like this course and I disliked the the professor. He was not very helpful in the classroom or outside the classroom. He did not go over the homeowrk, never reviewed progress tests (as he called them) and the entire course was based on the grade you earned on the final exam. Lucky for me, I had a brother who was a mechnaical engineer, he helped me get through this class.

Statistics - Although I like math and enjoyed my calculus classes, statistics did not seem to follow the same logical thought process as other math classes. I struggled to find a connection between structural design and performing statistical analysis on random sets of data. It seemed irrelevant to my interests.

  1. What resources did your school have available to help you get through the most difficult courses? [Cite your source(s)]

I used the Math TA (Teaching Assistants) all the time, especially in Chemistry. Syracuse had a 24 hour Math lab. No matter the time (11 PM or 5AM) you could visit the lab and get help - someone was always there. Most engineering students used this resource to make it through the 4 semesters of calculus that was required.

  1. Regarding the two most challenging courses how did you persevere?

I got extra help when I needed it. I think most students, even the ones that do exceptionally well in high school, need extra help sometimes. Many of the required engineering courses are difficultand the work load is sometimes overwhelming. Taking advantage of all of the available resources can help you be successful and make your college life less stressful.Classmates can be a great resource too. Get help when you need it.

  1. From what school(s) did you receive graduate degrees? [Cite your source(s)]

University of New Hampshire

  1. What was the title or titles of the degree(s)? [Cite your source(s)]

Associate in Applied Science in Architectural Technology

Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering

Master of Science in Civil Engineering (emphasis in structures) from UNH

  1. What licenses do you have and what were the exams required to receive those licenses? [Cite your source(s)]

I am a registered Professional Engineer (PE) - Structural Engineer in VA and NY. In order to obtain a PE lisence I had to pass the E.I.T (Engineer in Training) exam which is now called the FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) exam. After working as an engineer for a few years, I also had to pass the PE exam.

  1. How would your clients and co-workers describe you?

Hard working, dedicated, and detailed.

  1. What do you hope to accomplish at the conclusion of your career?

I hope to participate in the design of a monumental bridge and see it constructed.

Conclusion

  1. You described a career related to civil engineering and/or architecture. Is this the career field that you are currently most interested in at this stage in your life?
  1. Rank and describe the three most important characteristicsthat you value in choosing a post-secondary school.
  1. Rank the following in the order of importance to you regarding a career: job satisfaction; salary; making a difference; level of responsibility; titles; benefits; hours; co-workers; supervisors.

Project Lead The Way,Inc.

Copyright 2010

CEA – Unit 1 – Lesson1.2–Project1.2.1–This is Your Career– Page 1