https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-civil-engineering-podcast-civil-engenTechnologyCopyright Anthony Fasanohttps://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/9dc5b2f8c97e3fa40a7d000b799c5671.jpghttps://www.spreaker.com/show/the-civil-engineering-podcast-civil-engWed, 01 Sep 2021 07:28:24 +0000Anthony FasanoAnthony Fasanoafasano@engineeringmanagementinstitute.orgThe Civil Engineering Podcast provides engineering career advice and success stories specifically for civil engineers. Civil engineers Anthony Fasano, PE and Christian Knutson, PE host the show and showcase civil engineering projects and professionalcleanepisodicAnthony Fasanoafasano@engineeringmanagementinstitute.orgThe Civil Engineering Podcast provides engineering career advice and success stories specifically for civil engineers. Civil engineers Anthony Fasano, PE and Christian Knutson, PE host the show and showcase civil engineering projects and professionalNohttps://www.spreaker.com/user/8302359/tcep-174-how-one-goal-helped-this-engineEngineering Quotes:



Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Tramone:


You became a junior partner at your firm in 2018. Was this something you always aspired to achieve?
How did you feel when you achieved the status of junior partner at your firm?
What were some of the things you had to do to become the best engineer you can be?
How did you develop your people skills and start working with people beyond the technical concepts of a firm?
How did your involvement in the business side of engineering and finances change when you became a partner at your firm?
How did you learn the skills needed to manage a business?
How did you become involved in the training side of the company, and how did it help to develop your skill sets?

Here Are Some Key Points Discussed in This Episode:

I think all engineers as a whole, at some point, have a dream to own their own company. I always aspired to be a great engineer and to learn everything that I can in my craft. Becoming a junior partner at my firm gave me a great start to my career.
To be an owner at a firm, you have to be good at doing multiple things in the company. I worked very hard to improve my technical skills and to diversify myself in the firm.
Owners bring in the work in a civil engineering company, and therefore marketing is an essential part of ownership in a firm.
My tenacity to continue to learn, being in the right place, and having so many projects to work on made me an obvious choice to become a partner at my firm.
Once you start engaging with people, the more natural it will become. People tend to work with people that they like. You need to step out and just do it. As you develop your relationships with people, more and more opportunities will arise.
As you transition into ownership, you have to manage your projects in a way that you can remain billable but at the same time do all the other tasks you need to do. You start to think on a much bigger level, more about everybody, instead of just yourself.
One of the benefits of working for a small civil engineering firm is that you get thrown into everything that provides you with the opportunities to learn all of the different aspects of the business

More Details in This Episode…
About Tramone Smith, P.E., BCEE, MSCE
Tramone Smith, a board-certified environmental engineer from Edwards, Mississippi, is an Associate at WGK, Inc. He graduated from Jackson State University with a bachelor’s in Civil Engineering in May 2006. He was the first licensed professional engineer produced at Jackson State University, where he received his master’s in Civil & Environmental Engineering with an emphasis on Environmental Engineering in 2014. Tramone plays an impactful and influential role in the company and assists with the training and growth of all staff, from design to project management. He works with municipalities, architects, other engineers, and some residential and commercial clients. Tramone has the privilege of writing NCEES exams and provides projects for and mentorship to JSU senior Capstone students.
Sources/References:
Menard Group USA
Project Management Training
People Skills Training
WGK, Inc
Connect with Tramone Smith
This Episode Is Brought to You by Menard Group USA:
Do you have projects where you are faced with building on soft or lose ground?]]>https://engineeringmanagementinstitute.org/?p=41863Wed, 09 Jun 2021 10:11:34 +0000Anthony FasanoIn this episode of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk to Tramone Smith, P.E., BCEE, MSCE from WGK in Mississippi, about his path to partnership in his firm. Tramone is a really unique professional in that he had one goal only in his career, which...Engineering Quotes:



Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Tramone:


You became a junior partner at your firm in 2018. Was this something you always aspired to achieve?
How did you feel when you achieved the status of junior partner at your firm?
What were some of the things you had to do to become the best engineer you can be?
How did you develop your people skills and start working with people beyond the technical concepts of a firm?
How did your involvement in the business side of engineering and finances change when you became a partner at your firm?
How did you learn the skills needed to manage a business?
How did you become involved in the training side of the company, and how did it help to develop your skill sets?

Here Are Some Key Points Discussed in This Episode:

I think all engineers as a whole, at some point, have a dream to own their own company. I always aspired to be a great engineer and to learn everything that I can in my craft. Becoming a junior partner at my firm gave me a great start to my career.
To be an owner at a firm, you have to be good at doing multiple things in the company. I worked very hard to improve my technical skills and to diversify myself in the firm.
Owners bring in the work in a civil engineering company, and therefore marketing is an essential part of ownership in a firm.
My tenacity to continue to learn, being in the right place, and having so many projects to work on made me an obvious choice to become a partner at my firm.
Once you start engaging with people, the more natural it will become. People tend to work with people that they like. You need to step out and just do it. As you develop your relationships with people, more and more opportunities will arise.
As you transition into ownership, you have to manage your projects in a way that you can remain billable but at the same time do all the other tasks you need to do. You start to think on a much bigger level, more about everybody, instead of just yourself.
One of the benefits of working for a small civil engineering firm is that you get thrown into everything that provides you with the opportunities to learn all of the different aspects of the business

More Details in This Episode…
About Tramone Smith, P.E., BCEE, MSCE
Tramone Smith, a board-certified environmental engineer from Edwards, Mississippi, is an Associate at WGK, Inc. He graduated from Jackson State University with a bachelor’s in Civil Engineering in May 2006. He was the first licensed professional engineer produced at Jackson State University, where he received his master’s in Civil & Environmental Engineering with an emphasis on Environmental Engineering in 2014. Tramone plays an impactful and influential role in the company and assists with the training and growth of all staff, from design to project management. He works with municipalities, architects, other engineers, and some residential and commercial clients. Tramone has the privilege of writing NCEES exams and provides projects for and mentorship to JSU senior Capstone students.
Sources/References:
Menard Group USA
Project Management Training
People Skills Training
WGK, Inc
Connect with Tramone Smith
This Episode Is Brought to You by Menard Group USA:
Do you have projects where you are faced with building on soft or lose ground?]]>2001cleanfullAnthony FasanoIn this episode of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk to Tramone Smith, P.E., BCEE, MSCE from WGK in Mississippi, about his path to partnership in his firm. Tramone is a really unique professional in that he had one goal only in his career, which had absolutely nothing to do with partnership or ownership in the firm, but it ended up getting him there and helped him to rise above his expectations. Engineering Quotes: Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Tramone: You became a junior partner at your firm in 2018. Was this something you always aspired to achieve? How did you feel when you achieved the status of junior partner at your firm? What were some of the things you had to do to become the best engineer you can be? How did you develop your people skills and start working with people beyond the technical concepts of a firm? How did your involvement in the business side of engineering and finances change when you became a partner at your firm? How did you learn the skills needed to manage a business? How did you become involved in the training side of the company, and how did it help to develop your skill sets? Here Are Some Key Points Discussed in This Episode: I think all engineers as a whole, at some point, have a dream to own their own company. I always aspired to be a great engineer and to learn everything that I can in my craft. Becoming a junior partner at my firm gave me a great start to my career. To be an owner at a firm, you have to be good at doing multiple things in the company. I worked very hard to improve my technical skills and to diversify myself in the firm. Owners bring in the work in a civil engineering company, and therefore marketing is an essential part of ownership in a firm. My tenacity to continue to learn, being in the right place, and having so many projects to work on made me an obvious choice to become a partner at my firm. Once you start engaging with people, the more natural it will become. People tend to work with people that they like. You need to step out and just do it. As you develop your relationships with people, more and more opportunities will arise. As you transition into ownership, you have to manage your projects in a way that you can remain billable but at the same time do all the other tasks you need to do. You start to think on a much bigger level, more about everybody, instead of just yourself. One of the benefits of working for a small civil engineering firm is that you get thrown into everything that provides you with the opportunities to learn all of the different aspects of the business More Details in This Episode… About Tramone Smith, P.E., BCEE, MSCE Tramone Smith, a board-certified environmental engineer from Edwards, Mississippi, is an Associate at WGK, Inc. He graduated from Jackson State University with a bachelor’s in Civil Engineering in May 2006. He was the first licensed professional engineer produced at Jackson State University, where he received his master’s in Civil & Environmental Engineering with an emphasis on Environmental Engineering in 2014. Tramone plays an impactful and influential role in the company and assists with the training and growth of all staff, from design to project management. He works with municipalities, architects, other engineers, and some residential and commercial clients. Tramone has the privilege of writing NCEES exams and provides projects for and mentorship to JSU senior Capstone students. Sources/References: Menard Group USA Project Management Training People Skills Training WGK, Inc Connect with Tramone Smith This Episode Is Brought to You by Menard Group USA: Do you have projects where you are faced with building on soft or lose ground?Nohttps://www.spreaker.com/user/8302359/tcep-164-how-to-effectively-measure-busiEngineering Quotes:



Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Gordon:

Why is it important for a company to have a vision or mission statement?
How do you ensure that the everyday tasks or actions that your people are taking are contributing toward the overall vision?
What is your philosophy around meetings?
Does every person in your company have a goal or goals that they are working toward, and are these goals aligned with the vision of the company?
Are there specific metrics, indicators, or numbers that you use to effectively measure business growth at your company?
How often do you monitor those metrics and what tools do you use to monitor them?
What have you found to be the most important indicator in the terms of the health of your civil engineering firm?
Are the people who work in the company held accountable through key performance indicators and other metrics?
Does your company emphasize capturing core processes that can be practiced consistently throughout the company?
As a leader, how do you ensure these processes are captured and practiced consistently across the company and that they are followed by all the employees?
As the company grows, should you consider stepping away from the project work?

Here Are Some Key Points Discussed in This Episode About Measuring Business Growth:


A company needs to have a mission and vision statement to give it direction. When making tough decisions, run the decisions through the company’s mission and vision statement and you will easily get a solution that is in line with it.
The company's mission and vision statement must be made to include everyone who is employed by the company. If a certain field, like engineering, is named in the mission and vision statement, other employees might feel left out and not know how they fit into it. The company should be living its mission statement and everyone in the company needs to be striving toward it.
The mission and vision are there to build the strategic plan for the company in the years to come. A strategic plan can be broken down into smaller achievable goals. This can help you to keep moving forward to the bigger goal, which can seem daunting and out of reach at times.
Meetings are necessary, but they should be kept short to not waste time. You need to achieve the purpose of the meeting as fast as possible so that everyone can get back to work.
A company should have metrics, indicators, or numbers to show where the company and its goals are currently standing, and where they need to be or what they need to achieve in a three-month cycles. As your company grows, you might need professional people with professional software to keep track of where the company is and where it is going financially.
Processes about the way the company does things are vital to ensure that your employees are doing things the right way. These processes need to be explained to your employees so that they can understand why it needs to be done in a specific way.
The processes need to be made in a proficient way to ensure they will be followed. Processes need to be adjusted as your company grows to ensure they are better suited to what needs to be done. People need to be put in charge of monitoring that the processes are being complied with across your company, and to make changes to them if needed.
As your company grows, you might start considering stepping away from the project management side of things and focus more on the business side of things.]]>https://engineeringmanagementinstitute.org/?p=40025Wed, 24 Feb 2021 13:01:00 +0000Anthony FasanoIn this episode, which is the first episode in our new Civil Engineering Entrepreneurs series, I talk to Gordon Greene, P.E., of Patel, Greene & Associates about how to effectively measure business growth and the use of standing operating procedures...Engineering Quotes:



Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Gordon:

Why is it important for a company to have a vision or mission statement?
How do you ensure that the everyday tasks or actions that your people are taking are contributing toward the overall vision?
What is your philosophy around meetings?
Does every person in your company have a goal or goals that they are working toward, and are these goals aligned with the vision of the company?
Are there specific metrics, indicators, or numbers that you use to effectively measure business growth at your company?
How often do you monitor those metrics and what tools do you use to monitor them?
What have you found to be the most important indicator in the terms of the health of your civil engineering firm?
Are the people who work in the company held accountable through key performance indicators and other metrics?
Does your company emphasize capturing core processes that can be practiced consistently throughout the company?
As a leader, how do you ensure these processes are captured and practiced consistently across the company and that they are followed by all the employees?
As the company grows, should you consider stepping away from the project work?

Here Are Some Key Points Discussed in This Episode About Measuring Business Growth:


A company needs to have a mission and vision statement to give it direction. When making tough decisions, run the decisions through the company’s mission and vision statement and you will easily get a solution that is in line with it.
The company's mission and vision statement must be made to include everyone who is employed by the company. If a certain field, like engineering, is named in the mission and vision statement, other employees might feel left out and not know how they fit into it. The company should be living its mission statement and everyone in the company needs to be striving toward it.
The mission and vision are there to build the strategic plan for the company in the years to come. A strategic plan can be broken down into smaller achievable goals. This can help you to keep moving forward to the bigger goal, which can seem daunting and out of reach at times.
Meetings are necessary, but they should be kept short to not waste time. You need to achieve the purpose of the meeting as fast as possible so that everyone can get back to work.
A company should have metrics, indicators, or numbers to show where the company and its goals are currently standing, and where they need to be or what they need to achieve in a three-month cycles. As your company grows, you might need professional people with professional software to keep track of where the company is and where it is going financially.
Processes about the way the company does things are vital to ensure that your employees are doing things the right way. These processes need to be explained to your employees so that they can understand why it needs to be done in a specific way.
The processes need to be made in a proficient way to ensure they will be followed. Processes need to be adjusted as your company grows to ensure they are better suited to what needs to be done. People need to be put in charge of monitoring that the processes are being complied with across your company, and to make changes to them if needed.
As your company grows, you might start considering stepping away from the project management side of things and focus more on the business side of things.]]>2654cleanfullAnthony FasanoIn this episode, which is the first episode in our new Civil Engineering Entrepreneurs series, I talk to Gordon Greene, P.E., of Patel, Greene & Associates about how to effectively measure business growth and the use of standing operating procedures in the business world. Engineering Quotes: Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Gordon: Why is it important for a company to have a vision or mission statement? How do you ensure that the everyday tasks or actions that your people are taking are contributing toward the overall vision? What is your philosophy around meetings? Does every person in your company have a goal or goals that they are working toward, and are these goals aligned with the vision of the company? Are there specific metrics, indicators, or numbers that you use to effectively measure business growth at your company? How often do you monitor those metrics and what tools do you use to monitor them? What have you found to be the most important indicator in the terms of the health of your civil engineering firm? Are the people who work in the company held accountable through key performance indicators and other metrics? Does your company emphasize capturing core processes that can be practiced consistently throughout the company? As a leader, how do you ensure these processes are captured and practiced consistently across the company and that they are followed by all the employees? As the company grows, should you consider stepping away from the project work? Here Are Some Key Points Discussed in This Episode About Measuring Business Growth: A company needs to have a mission and vision statement to give it direction. When making tough decisions, run the decisions through the company’s mission and vision statement and you will easily get a solution that is in line with it. The company's mission and vision statement must be made to include everyone who is employed by the company. If a certain field, like engineering, is named in the mission and vision statement, other employees might feel left out and not know how they fit into it. The company should be living its mission statement and everyone in the company needs to be striving toward it. The mission and vision are there to build the strategic plan for the company in the years to come. A strategic plan can be broken down into smaller achievable goals. This can help you to keep moving forward to the bigger goal, which can seem daunting and out of reach at times. Meetings are necessary, but they should be kept short to not waste time. You need to achieve the purpose of the meeting as fast as possible so that everyone can get back to work. A company should have metrics, indicators, or numbers to show where the company and its goals are currently standing, and where they need to be or what they need to achieve in a three-month cycles. As your company grows, you might need professional people with professional software to keep track of where the company is and where it is going financially. Processes about the way the company does things are vital to ensure that your employees are doing things the right way. These processes need to be explained to your employees so that they can understand why it needs to be done in a specific way. The processes need to be made in a proficient way to ensure they will be followed. Processes need to be adjusted as your company grows to ensure they are better suited to what needs to be done. People need to be put in charge of monitoring that the processes are being complied with across your company, and to make changes to them if needed. As your company grows, you might start considering stepping away from the project management side of things and focus more on the business side of things.Nohttps://www.spreaker.com/user/8302359/tcep-162-women-in-civil-engineering-how-Engineering Quotes:



Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Danielle:


What are some of the general difficulties of being a woman in a male-heavy industry that you have experienced?
Why do you deem being involved in internships to be so important, and did it influence your decision to get your master’s degree?
What are some of the things that you should be prepared to experience when becoming a project manager?
What is it like being a woman on project sites, and what are some of the things you have done to help you build confidence?
Why is it important to become involved in the engineering community and how can it benefit you and your company?
What are some of the things you have learned from your mentors that have helped you in your career?
Tell us more about the crash course you developed called “Port Engineering 101.”

Here Are Some Key Points Discussed in This Episode About Women in Civil Engineering:

Almost all women in civil engineering have a story to tell. Women go to work every day to do their jobs. Women need to have the mindset that they are not different from their male colleagues. If some people see you as being different, that is their problem — not yours. There is maybe 1% of the population that might say something about you being a woman in engineering, but you must not let it distract you.
Internships are important because you get a broad range of experience from many kinds of engineering that will help you to be a more rounded engineer. It can help you to decide in which direction you want to take your engineering career and if you want to join a large or small firm. It can help you choose if you would like to get your master's degree earlier or later in your career.
Before you become a project manager, you want to be aware of your hours, how you are spending time on a project, and the direction the project is taking. Talk to your current project manager about how projects are going and which steps need to be taken to get to the next level in the project. Be aware of the budget and the project goals because you will be accountable for them.
The first couple of times out in the field is scary for everyone. You need to apply your knowledge and people skills to the construction of your project. Be confident going into the field and know your worth. Remember that you are the design professional and the contractor is the construction specialist. There needs to be mutual respect and an active role in construction. Ask the contractor questions and use their experience to broaden your knowledge and boost your confidence.
You are not expected to know everything when you graduate. There is going to be a learning curve when you start your career. University does a good job of teaching you how to think critically, but you only start getting into the profession once you start your career. Finding a good mentor and asking a lot of questions is important at this stage.
There is a big gap in knowledge between the universities and the port maritime industry. There is a 12-week course that will help breach this knowledge gap and teaches what you need to know to become a port engineer. Port Engineering 101 is a 4-hour crash course for new engineers and students. It is a condensed form of what you need to know to become a port engineer.

More Details in This Episode…

About Danielle Goudreau, P.E.
Danielle Goudreau is a project manager at Collins Engineers wit...]]>https://engineeringmanagementinstitute.org/?p=39416Wed, 27 Jan 2021 12:29:50 +0000Anthony FasanoIn this episode of The Civil Engineering Podcast, which is part of our Women in Civil Engineering series, I talk to Danielle Goudreau, a project manager at Collins Engineers, about how she found a cool niche to specialize in and what she is doing to...Engineering Quotes:



Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Danielle:


What are some of the general difficulties of being a woman in a male-heavy industry that you have experienced?
Why do you deem being involved in internships to be so important, and did it influence your decision to get your master’s degree?
What are some of the things that you should be prepared to experience when becoming a project manager?
What is it like being a woman on project sites, and what are some of the things you have done to help you build confidence?
Why is it important to become involved in the engineering community and how can it benefit you and your company?
What are some of the things you have learned from your mentors that have helped you in your career?
Tell us more about the crash course you developed called “Port Engineering 101.”

Here Are Some Key Points Discussed in This Episode About Women in Civil Engineering:

Almost all women in civil engineering have a story to tell. Women go to work every day to do their jobs. Women need to have the mindset that they are not different from their male colleagues. If some people see you as being different, that is their problem — not yours. There is maybe 1% of the population that might say something about you being a woman in engineering, but you must not let it distract you.
Internships are important because you get a broad range of experience from many kinds of engineering that will help you to be a more rounded engineer. It can help you to decide in which direction you want to take your engineering career and if you want to join a large or small firm. It can help you choose if you would like to get your master's degree earlier or later in your career.
Before you become a project manager, you want to be aware of your hours, how you are spending time on a project, and the direction the project is taking. Talk to your current project manager about how projects are going and which steps need to be taken to get to the next level in the project. Be aware of the budget and the project goals because you will be accountable for them.
The first couple of times out in the field is scary for everyone. You need to apply your knowledge and people skills to the construction of your project. Be confident going into the field and know your worth. Remember that you are the design professional and the contractor is the construction specialist. There needs to be mutual respect and an active role in construction. Ask the contractor questions and use their experience to broaden your knowledge and boost your confidence.
You are not expected to know everything when you graduate. There is going to be a learning curve when you start your career. University does a good job of teaching you how to think critically, but you only start getting into the profession once you start your career. Finding a good mentor and asking a lot of questions is important at this stage.
There is a big gap in knowledge between the universities and the port maritime industry. There is a 12-week course that will help breach this knowledge gap and teaches what you need to know to become a port engineer. Port Engineering 101 is a 4-hour crash course for new engineers and students. It is a condensed form of what you need to know to become a port engineer.

More Details in This Episode…

About Danielle Goudreau, P.E.
Danielle Goudreau is a project manager at Collins Engineers wit...]]>2434cleanfullAnthony FasanoIn this episode of The Civil Engineering Podcast, which is part of our Women in Civil Engineering series, I talk to Danielle Goudreau, a project manager at Collins Engineers, about how she found a cool niche to specialize in and what she is doing to build her expertise in the niche. She also talks about her experience as a woman in civil engineering. Engineering Quotes: Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Danielle: What are some of the general difficulties of being a woman in a male-heavy industry that you have experienced? Why do you deem being involved in internships to be so important, and did it influence your decision to get your master’s degree? What are some of the things that you should be prepared to experience when becoming a project manager? What is it like being a woman on project sites, and what are some of the things you have done to help you build confidence? Why is it important to become involved in the engineering community and how can it benefit you and your company? What are some of the things you have learned from your mentors that have helped you in your career? Tell us more about the crash course you developed called “Port Engineering 101.” Here Are Some Key Points Discussed in This Episode About Women in Civil Engineering: Almost all women in civil engineering have a story to tell. Women go to work every day to do their jobs. Women need to have the mindset that they are not different from their male colleagues. If some people see you as being different, that is their problem — not yours. There is maybe 1% of the population that might say something about you being a woman in engineering, but you must not let it distract you. Internships are important because you get a broad range of experience from many kinds of engineering that will help you to be a more rounded engineer. It can help you to decide in which direction you want to take your engineering career and if you want to join a large or small firm. It can help you choose if you would like to get your master's degree earlier or later in your career. Before you become a project manager, you want to be aware of your hours, how you are spending time on a project, and the direction the project is taking. Talk to your current project manager about how projects are going and which steps need to be taken to get to the next level in the project. Be aware of the budget and the project goals because you will be accountable for them. The first couple of times out in the field is scary for everyone. You need to apply your knowledge and people skills to the construction of your project. Be confident going into the field and know your worth. Remember that you are the design professional and the contractor is the construction specialist. There needs to be mutual respect and an active role in construction. Ask the contractor questions and use their experience to broaden your knowledge and boost your confidence. You are not expected to know everything when you graduate. There is going to be a learning curve when you start your career. University does a good job of teaching you how to think critically, but you only start getting into the profession once you start your career. Finding a good mentor and asking a lot of questions is important at this stage. There is a big gap in knowledge between the universities and the port maritime industry. There is a 12-week course that will help breach this knowledge gap and teaches what you need to know to become a port engineer. Port Engineering 101 is a 4-hour crash course for new engineers and students. It is a condensed form of what you need to know to become a port engineer. More Details in This Episode… About Danielle Goudreau, P.E. Danielle Goudreau is a project manager at Collins Engineers wit...Nohttps://www.spreaker.com/user/8302359/tcep-160-how-a-civil-engineering-firm-caEngineering Quotes:



Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Jeff:


What are some of the decisions involved in becoming an ESOP and the benefits associated with it, for both the company and the employees?
What are the differences between working for a public agency vs a private consulting firm based on experience, and what made you decide to switch?
What are some of the benefits of having the ability to communicate with other firms?
For civil engineers who do not work in multidisciplinary firms, what are the benefits of having multi disciplines under the same roof?
What is Parametrix’s unique “Community Building” service line and what made you create it?
You had a big opportunity in your career where you were able to start a new company-wide practice for Parametrix. Take us through that part of your career — how it came about, how you decided you wanted to take on that opportunity, and how it panned out?
What is the process of becoming the CEO? Is it a goal you had, and how did you navigate the first portion of your office as CEO during the recession?

Here Are Some Key Points Discussed in This Episode About How a Civil Engineering Firm Can Maximize Employee Engagement:

A civil engineering firm that has a 100% ESOP rating means that every person in the company has a stake in the company. ESOPs were originally designed to be wealth-building programs for individuals and spread across who is contributing to the success of the company. This is done by distributing the money as an equal percentage of the person's salary across the entire company.
The training that you get working in the public transport sector is exceptional. You will learn, grow a lot, and develop many professional relationships with people. You will also be constantly exposed to many interesting projects. You might feel that you are constrained about the level of involvement you can have with the projects, which may cause frustration.
Transitioning to a private sector consulting firm can seem like a risky decision to make. When choosing a private consulting company, you need to think of your passions and try to align your passions with the work you will be doing. Find out if you can get involved with all the facets of the projects and do not feel limited. Also, be sure there is room for you to expand your career. This will indicate to you if the firm is focused on employee engagement or not.
Having experience and being able to communicate with other firms and clients is beneficial to having the ability to view things from many different angles.
Owning a multidisciplinary civil engineering firm can be a benefit because having a large diversity of thinking that comes from a vast difference in backgrounds and training is extremely valuable. This contributes to the success of your projects because you get many different solutions instead of largely the same solutions that you would get from like-minded people. It helps everyone in all the disciplines to understand the problem areas and how they can all contribute to a better solution for those problem areas.
The service line “Community Building” came about when the company was involved with the project planning for many agencies. This later developed into a great deal of what the company was doing and has since become greatly involved in the school districts and other areas of the community.
If you get an opportunity in your career where you can help to expand the firm with your expertise, you should take it. It will not be easy in the beginning; there will be risks you need...]]>https://engineeringmanagementinstitute.org/?p=39050Wed, 30 Dec 2020 16:50:57 +0000Anthony FasanoIn this episode, I talk to Jeff Peacock, P.E., the President and CEO at Parametrix Inc., about his career journey of becoming a CEO, leading a multidisciplinary civil engineering firm, and the benefits of having multi-disciplines under the same roof....Engineering Quotes:



Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Jeff:


What are some of the decisions involved in becoming an ESOP and the benefits associated with it, for both the company and the employees?
What are the differences between working for a public agency vs a private consulting firm based on experience, and what made you decide to switch?
What are some of the benefits of having the ability to communicate with other firms?
For civil engineers who do not work in multidisciplinary firms, what are the benefits of having multi disciplines under the same roof?
What is Parametrix’s unique “Community Building” service line and what made you create it?
You had a big opportunity in your career where you were able to start a new company-wide practice for Parametrix. Take us through that part of your career — how it came about, how you decided you wanted to take on that opportunity, and how it panned out?
What is the process of becoming the CEO? Is it a goal you had, and how did you navigate the first portion of your office as CEO during the recession?

Here Are Some Key Points Discussed in This Episode About How a Civil Engineering Firm Can Maximize Employee Engagement:

A civil engineering firm that has a 100% ESOP rating means that every person in the company has a stake in the company. ESOPs were originally designed to be wealth-building programs for individuals and spread across who is contributing to the success of the company. This is done by distributing the money as an equal percentage of the person's salary across the entire company.
The training that you get working in the public transport sector is exceptional. You will learn, grow a lot, and develop many professional relationships with people. You will also be constantly exposed to many interesting projects. You might feel that you are constrained about the level of involvement you can have with the projects, which may cause frustration.
Transitioning to a private sector consulting firm can seem like a risky decision to make. When choosing a private consulting company, you need to think of your passions and try to align your passions with the work you will be doing. Find out if you can get involved with all the facets of the projects and do not feel limited. Also, be sure there is room for you to expand your career. This will indicate to you if the firm is focused on employee engagement or not.
Having experience and being able to communicate with other firms and clients is beneficial to having the ability to view things from many different angles.
Owning a multidisciplinary civil engineering firm can be a benefit because having a large diversity of thinking that comes from a vast difference in backgrounds and training is extremely valuable. This contributes to the success of your projects because you get many different solutions instead of largely the same solutions that you would get from like-minded people. It helps everyone in all the disciplines to understand the problem areas and how they can all contribute to a better solution for those problem areas.
The service line “Community Building” came about when the company was involved with the project planning for many agencies. This later developed into a great deal of what the company was doing and has since become greatly involved in the school districts and other areas of the community.
If you get an opportunity in your career where you can help to expand the firm with your expertise, you should take it. It will not be easy in the beginning; there will be risks you need...]]>2954cleanfullAnthony FasanoIn this episode, I talk to Jeff Peacock, P.E., the President and CEO at Parametrix Inc., about his career journey of becoming a CEO, leading a multidisciplinary civil engineering firm, and the benefits of having multi-disciplines under the same roof. Engineering Quotes: Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Jeff: What are some of the decisions involved in becoming an ESOP and the benefits associated with it, for both the company and the employees? What are the differences between working for a public agency vs a private consulting firm based on experience, and what made you decide to switch? What are some of the benefits of having the ability to communicate with other firms? For civil engineers who do not work in multidisciplinary firms, what are the benefits of having multi disciplines under the same roof? What is Parametrix’s unique “Community Building” service line and what made you create it? You had a big opportunity in your career where you were able to start a new company-wide practice for Parametrix. Take us through that part of your career — how it came about, how you decided you wanted to take on that opportunity, and how it panned out? What is the process of becoming the CEO? Is it a goal you had, and how did you navigate the first portion of your office as CEO during the recession? Here Are Some Key Points Discussed in This Episode About How a Civil Engineering Firm Can Maximize Employee Engagement: A civil engineering firm that has a 100% ESOP rating means that every person in the company has a stake in the company. ESOPs were originally designed to be wealth-building programs for individuals and spread across who is contributing to the success of the company. This is done by distributing the money as an equal percentage of the person's salary across the entire company. The training that you get working in the public transport sector is exceptional. You will learn, grow a lot, and develop many professional relationships with people. You will also be constantly exposed to many interesting projects. You might feel that you are constrained about the level of involvement you can have with the projects, which may cause frustration. Transitioning to a private sector consulting firm can seem like a risky decision to make. When choosing a private consulting company, you need to think of your passions and try to align your passions with the work you will be doing. Find out if you can get involved with all the facets of the projects and do not feel limited. Also, be sure there is room for you to expand your career. This will indicate to you if the firm is focused on employee engagement or not. Having experience and being able to communicate with other firms and clients is beneficial to having the ability to view things from many different angles. Owning a multidisciplinary civil engineering firm can be a benefit because having a large diversity of thinking that comes from a vast difference in backgrounds and training is extremely valuable. This contributes to the success of your projects because you get many different solutions instead of largely the same solutions that you would get from like-minded people. It helps everyone in all the disciplines to understand the problem areas and how they can all contribute to a better solution for those problem areas. The service line “Community Building” came about when the company was involved with the project planning for many agencies. This later developed into a great deal of what the company was doing and has since become greatly involved in the school districts and other areas of the community. If you get an opportunity in your career where you can help to expand the firm with your expertise, you should take it. It will not be easy in the beginning; there will be risks you need...Nohttps://www.spreaker.com/user/8302359/tcep-159-from-single-mom-to-civil-engineEngineering Quotes:



Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Melody:


What helped you to get where you are today, and by making a simple choice, how did your life change for the better?
How did you manage work-life balance throughout this time?
Once you decided to become an engineer, did you have a plan laid out, or did you take it one day at a time?
How have your mentors helped you throughout this journey?
How has being an engineer in the U.S., and especially a woman in engineering, changed your life?
In the article you wrote, you said: "I think the difference between success and failure is the ability to see one's fears and weaknesses and still push through to overcome them to achieve a higher goal." Can you please elaborate a little bit on that?
Can you give women out there who would like to pursue a career in engineering some advice about perseverance, getting a job, and finding the right company to work for?

Here Are Some Key Points Discussed in This Episode About Going from a Single Mom to Civil Engineer:


As a single parent from a foreign country, you need to have the right mindset to be able to make the correct decisions, to create success in your life. Starting over in a new country is tough, and you need to learn as much as you can as fast as possible about the language and how things work in the country. You should have a lot of commitment and be prepared to make sacrifices every day.
You need to prioritize your daily tasks. If you have a task that is more important than something else, you should stick to your plan and schedule, and not worry about what other people have to say about it.
You and your children should work together as a team to get the daily tasks done. It is good for your children, as they learn to do different things that will ultimately help them later in their lives. This needs to be balanced among everyone, and the activities for each day need to be discussed and prioritized.
One of the first things you need to learn when you want to pursue an engineering career is to learn the main language that is used in the profession. Find a mentor who will be able to help you with a plan to get you started in your career by doing your SATs and getting into a college.
In whichever phase of the plan you are in, try to find mentors who will be able to help you get better at what you are currently doing and to get to the next step in your plan. Your mentors will help you to build your self-confidence and help you to understand what is needed. They’ll show you your weaker points and where you need to work harder.
When you decide to work toward a big goal, things at the beginning of your journey can seem to be terrifying. To get over this fear, you need to learn to be comfortable when you are uncomfortable. There may be times when you think you cannot accomplish something. Those are the times that you should go ahead with your plan, and you might be surprised with what you are capable of.
If you are afraid of doing something and you don’t do it, you are never going to move up in your career and life. You need to understand that the worst thing that can happen is that you fail at doing that thing. And if you fail, then you have gained some experience and knowledge that can help you to do better next time.
Women are capable and have many challenges in their work lives. Always be the best that you can be and remember to open doors for those who are behind you. If you are the only woman in the room,]]>https://engineeringmanagementinstitute.org/?p=38903Wed, 16 Dec 2020 09:15:50 +0000Anthony FasanoIn this episode, I talk to Melody A. Gonzalez, E.I., a civil engineer at Black & Veatch about how she went from an immigrant single mom to civil engineer, and today is living the American dream. She also talks about work-life balance and the...Engineering Quotes:



Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Melody:


What helped you to get where you are today, and by making a simple choice, how did your life change for the better?
How did you manage work-life balance throughout this time?
Once you decided to become an engineer, did you have a plan laid out, or did you take it one day at a time?
How have your mentors helped you throughout this journey?
How has being an engineer in the U.S., and especially a woman in engineering, changed your life?
In the article you wrote, you said: "I think the difference between success and failure is the ability to see one's fears and weaknesses and still push through to overcome them to achieve a higher goal." Can you please elaborate a little bit on that?
Can you give women out there who would like to pursue a career in engineering some advice about perseverance, getting a job, and finding the right company to work for?

Here Are Some Key Points Discussed in This Episode About Going from a Single Mom to Civil Engineer:


As a single parent from a foreign country, you need to have the right mindset to be able to make the correct decisions, to create success in your life. Starting over in a new country is tough, and you need to learn as much as you can as fast as possible about the language and how things work in the country. You should have a lot of commitment and be prepared to make sacrifices every day.
You need to prioritize your daily tasks. If you have a task that is more important than something else, you should stick to your plan and schedule, and not worry about what other people have to say about it.
You and your children should work together as a team to get the daily tasks done. It is good for your children, as they learn to do different things that will ultimately help them later in their lives. This needs to be balanced among everyone, and the activities for each day need to be discussed and prioritized.
One of the first things you need to learn when you want to pursue an engineering career is to learn the main language that is used in the profession. Find a mentor who will be able to help you with a plan to get you started in your career by doing your SATs and getting into a college.
In whichever phase of the plan you are in, try to find mentors who will be able to help you get better at what you are currently doing and to get to the next step in your plan. Your mentors will help you to build your self-confidence and help you to understand what is needed. They’ll show you your weaker points and where you need to work harder.
When you decide to work toward a big goal, things at the beginning of your journey can seem to be terrifying. To get over this fear, you need to learn to be comfortable when you are uncomfortable. There may be times when you think you cannot accomplish something. Those are the times that you should go ahead with your plan, and you might be surprised with what you are capable of.
If you are afraid of doing something and you don’t do it, you are never going to move up in your career and life. You need to understand that the worst thing that can happen is that you fail at doing that thing. And if you fail, then you have gained some experience and knowledge that can help you to do better next time.
Women are capable and have many challenges in their work lives. Always be the best that you can be and remember to open doors for those who are behind you. If you are the only woman in the room,]]>2039cleanfullAnthony FasanoIn this episode, I talk to Melody A. Gonzalez, E.I., a civil engineer at Black & Veatch about how she went from an immigrant single mom to civil engineer, and today is living the American dream. She also talks about work-life balance and the importance that mentors play in your civil engineering career. Engineering Quotes: Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Melody: What helped you to get where you are today, and by making a simple choice, how did your life change for the better? How did you manage work-life balance throughout this time? Once you decided to become an engineer, did you have a plan laid out, or did you take it one day at a time? How have your mentors helped you throughout this journey? How has being an engineer in the U.S., and especially a woman in engineering, changed your life? In the article you wrote, you said: "I think the difference between success and failure is the ability to see one's fears and weaknesses and still push through to overcome them to achieve a higher goal." Can you please elaborate a little bit on that? Can you give women out there who would like to pursue a career in engineering some advice about perseverance, getting a job, and finding the right company to work for? Here Are Some Key Points Discussed in This Episode About Going from a Single Mom to Civil Engineer: As a single parent from a foreign country, you need to have the right mindset to be able to make the correct decisions, to create success in your life. Starting over in a new country is tough, and you need to learn as much as you can as fast as possible about the language and how things work in the country. You should have a lot of commitment and be prepared to make sacrifices every day. You need to prioritize your daily tasks. If you have a task that is more important than something else, you should stick to your plan and schedule, and not worry about what other people have to say about it. You and your children should work together as a team to get the daily tasks done. It is good for your children, as they learn to do different things that will ultimately help them later in their lives. This needs to be balanced among everyone, and the activities for each day need to be discussed and prioritized. One of the first things you need to learn when you want to pursue an engineering career is to learn the main language that is used in the profession. Find a mentor who will be able to help you with a plan to get you started in your career by doing your SATs and getting into a college. In whichever phase of the plan you are in, try to find mentors who will be able to help you get better at what you are currently doing and to get to the next step in your plan. Your mentors will help you to build your self-confidence and help you to understand what is needed. They’ll show you your weaker points and where you need to work harder. When you decide to work toward a big goal, things at the beginning of your journey can seem to be terrifying. To get over this fear, you need to learn to be comfortable when you are uncomfortable. There may be times when you think you cannot accomplish something. Those are the times that you should go ahead with your plan, and you might be surprised with what you are capable of. If you are afraid of doing something and you don’t do it, you are never going to move up in your career and life. You need to understand that the worst thing that can happen is that you fail at doing that thing. And if you fail, then you have gained some experience and knowledge that can help you to do better next time. Women are capable and have many challenges in their work lives. Always be the best that you can be and remember to open doors for those who are behind you. If you are the only woman in the room,No