PTD12
Structural
- Jul 3, 2013
- 3
I'm a recent civil engineering graduate. I was hired at a small structural firm that does small projects with a quick turn around (generlly 2 weeks - can be larger for larger projects). Despite some bad days, I do like the job - But I'm wondering if I'm getting good structural engineering experience.
I get to handle some clients myself - for example calls will be transferred to me and I get to speak with the client, confirm a scope of work and submit a quote. If we receieve a PO then the job would be mine. Sometimes I get to meet the client myself - for example one job I met the client, got back to the office prepped a proposal and got the job a week after. That job was for various steel supports for machinery - which in total I quoted at $18,000 - That covers 36% of my salary - and thats something I could complete in 2 weeks (realisticaly a month and a half since I am busy with other jobs). Anyways I get do engineering for various types of jobs - desigining concrete foundations and slabs on grade, steel supports, sizing beams. I also do a lot of structural analysis for drawings produced by clients, for example aluminum racking, steel racks (storage), reinforcing OWSJ. Then there are other types for example going to site to inspect a wall to determine if its load bearing or not, or if a floor is structurally adequate (measuring joist sizes, spans, determining and analyzing an exisitng structural system).
I think the experience is giving me a lot of experience with the smaller jobs, however I do not plan on staying where I am forever (do not want to live in the location) and I am worried that my experience will not have an 'edge' that makes me qualified for higher positions. For example, working in a small firm I have to do the majority of my own drafting - sometimes if its slow I can delegate the drafting but thats generally not the case. What I find is that for 2 hours of engineering theres about 6 hours of drafting, so I spend a lot of time drafting - not exactly something I want to have as a large part of my experience as an EIT.
Anyways just wondering what others did as junior engineers (structural or not) so I can get a better idea if the experience I'm getting is 'good'.
Cheers
I get to handle some clients myself - for example calls will be transferred to me and I get to speak with the client, confirm a scope of work and submit a quote. If we receieve a PO then the job would be mine. Sometimes I get to meet the client myself - for example one job I met the client, got back to the office prepped a proposal and got the job a week after. That job was for various steel supports for machinery - which in total I quoted at $18,000 - That covers 36% of my salary - and thats something I could complete in 2 weeks (realisticaly a month and a half since I am busy with other jobs). Anyways I get do engineering for various types of jobs - desigining concrete foundations and slabs on grade, steel supports, sizing beams. I also do a lot of structural analysis for drawings produced by clients, for example aluminum racking, steel racks (storage), reinforcing OWSJ. Then there are other types for example going to site to inspect a wall to determine if its load bearing or not, or if a floor is structurally adequate (measuring joist sizes, spans, determining and analyzing an exisitng structural system).
I think the experience is giving me a lot of experience with the smaller jobs, however I do not plan on staying where I am forever (do not want to live in the location) and I am worried that my experience will not have an 'edge' that makes me qualified for higher positions. For example, working in a small firm I have to do the majority of my own drafting - sometimes if its slow I can delegate the drafting but thats generally not the case. What I find is that for 2 hours of engineering theres about 6 hours of drafting, so I spend a lot of time drafting - not exactly something I want to have as a large part of my experience as an EIT.
Anyways just wondering what others did as junior engineers (structural or not) so I can get a better idea if the experience I'm getting is 'good'.
Cheers
