Valuable tips to a Graduate Structural Engineer 6

[rahuldby]

I feel that to be a successful Structural Engineer one needs careful planning, continuous learning and valuable guidance from the senior engineers or colleagues. But not all the young engineers have the opportunity to improve ones skills and shine under the guidance of a learned Engineer. So, I would like to have your opinions, suggestions or experiences that could help young engineers like me to have a right start to our professional career. Thanks.

 

[bridgebuckeye]

Try to go our into the field to see your plans come to life. Ask the Contractor what could be done to help in the constructability of your plan, remember he/she is a Contractor so they will always find ways that will be cheap for them and do not understand the calculations that got you to the final plan. With this in mind I always try to make it to the field. If the firm that you work for uses computer programs manly, do a hand calculation every so often so you know how the solution was accomplished, plus you can not take the computer to the PE Exam.

Good luck in your field.

 

[80smetalfm]

royce
Iam a Civil/Structural engineer with 4 years of experience. Having worked for my first firm for 3 years with a staff of 500, i had the problem of having the right mentor at the right time as everyone seem to be busy galavanting through their own busy workload.
My last year was different, i now worked in a office of 7 and my senior is a structural guru with 40 years experience!! Given the small office and my senior's vast experience i seem to have leant the same amount of stuff over 1 year compared to my first 3 years!!
My advise "find a small firm" with 10 or less staff and learn from the old fellas!! Dont be afraid to "ask".

 

[pba]

Just for the sake of argument...

I know a number of young engineers and some of them are a real pain in the butt. Always asking questions before spending the time to understand the problem or arguing about the methods to be used while displaying marked ignorance of the basic structural philosophies.

These people will no doubt improve over time but their attitude provides sufficient justification to keep them at arms length and to give limited task specific advice only.

 

[Loui1]

One thing that's helped me is never to let the naysayers get you down. It seems like there's always someone complaining about being a structural engineer and the liability, blah blah. "I shouldve been a pharmacist". All I gotta say is that "the grass is always greener on the other side". And as long as you give it all you got, you'll be successful.

Go all out and learn as much as you can on your own if you cant get a great mentor. There are plenty of resources out there.

 

[rahuldby]

pba, I understand your concern. But, you have mistaken the entire purpose of the thread. We are not here to debate about whose good and whose not. I hope you share my concern too. I appreciate you all for sharing your thoughts and experiences and expect to see more of them. Thanks.

 

[DVSVojvoda]

All of us are trying to reach the same goal. I was structural design engineer for 4 years in a small consulting firm ( two engineers when I arrived as an EIT)in Colorado. I moved out there after college, on a whim: alone, no job, with the money I saved working summers at the steel mills. I, as many, had no idea of what the true meaning of what a structural engineer was.
In the beginning, I spent many long nights at the libraries of the colorado school of mines, and CU Boulder. There I spent my time reading books by Ambrose, McCormick, and believe it or not, all three volumes of the 1997 UBC. On several occasions I have validated my calculations against my superiors because they did not keep updating their own knowledge of materials, codes, analysis. So as a not so old engineer to a young one here is the advice that I could offer you:

-In the beginning immerse yourself in engineering analysis ,design, and codes-I can't stress that enough. Read everything possible about anything in structural engineering---you will run across it one day - I promise you that. (AISC and Structural Engineer Magazine, old company drawings a Plus)This is how you will be feeding your children one day, attempt to be the best at what you do.

-Learn everything by hand first; in your spare time. And when possible learn this from the old timers. I watched a young licensed SE (older than me)put a entire building into into RISA 3D for moment frame results that I could have done in 5 minutes using the Portal frame method (learned that from a brilliant engineer 35+ years exp who would not let me touch a computer for the first three months I worked at the company)- for those young guys out there that don't understand (1 2 2 1) - learn it.

-Older engineers don't think your a pain in the butt, just don't ask the same question twice. Engineers are not competitive by nature, they all share information readily. I kept a journal of all the new things I learned per day/ per subject; Building Code, Steel, Concrete, lateral design etc. and review it atleast once a month- still have mine, and I still review it.

-learn new methods of engineering and analysis but approach cautiously. When approaching an older engineer with a new subject to you, at least research the basics of that subject very well so that you could hold a constructive meeting with them - (Example-don't ask about lateral design when you didn't research the difference between rigid and flexable diaphragms.

-Don't shoot off at the mouth to contractors just because you have an engineering degree and you think your college education means something. Chances are that the superintendant with the jelly stain on on his shirt knows the building better than you do at your experience level. THe first years of your job noone will take you seriously, and don't expect them to--you earn respect as you go along ---DON'T HIDE BEHIND YOUR TITLE --STAND BEHIND YOUR NUMBERS.

Now I am a 30 yr old general manager at a steel fabricating company in chicago, and engineering aides me everyday and gives me the upper edge.

And so that there is no mistake

the 50+ hours are still the same,
the zero appreciation is still the same,
and the enormous liability is still the same.

 

[tedrick]

Royces-

My 2 cents worth:

- Consider specializing early in your career(bridges, buildings, transmission towers, etc.). Learn the codes and manuals for that field inside and out, up and down, backwards and forwards. There will always be a place for you. Whether it's IBC, the AASHTO bridge codes, the ASCE/ANSI codes for transmission towers or what not, they are simply getting too complicated for people to be jacks of all trades. In my field (bridges), companies lose money all the time trying to do bridges with building people who may have done a bridge or two early in their career. They simply do not know the codes well enough to be productive.

- Be very, very careful when questioning standard practicies. It may not be the best way, or even close, but it may be the way the client wants it done. Unless there is a safety/failure risk, just shut up and do it. Very competent engineers have lost their jobs by wasting time (and money) arguing about standard practices on relatively uncomplicated work.

- Become a CAD ace on top of your engineering skills. If possible, learn both Microstation and Autocad as well as any CAD package specific to your field. The work flow of the engineer handing a hand sketch to a CAD guy doesn't work real well on the business side anymore. Experienced CAD guys are becoming too expensive to pair with engineers and young tech-school grad CAD guys are too limited in what they can do.

Finally, learn to be business aware if you choose to work in consulting. Everything you do has an impact on the company. Even your raises, which mean nothing more than you have to become even more productive. There are other skills important to the company than just engineering means and methods. That's why the PM's, who may have very little hands-on impact on a project, make the big bucks.