Increasing the Confidence and Competence of Structural Engineering Graduates

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Increasing the Confidence and Competence of
Structural Engineering Graduates

• Dave K. Adams, P.E., S.E.
• Lane Engineers, Inc.
• Tulare, California
• davea_at_laneengineers.com

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What will we discuss?

• The Joy of Structural Engineering (mentoring)
• Past Benefits of an engineering education
• Present Beginnings of a wonderful career
• Future Opportunity to make a difference
• Sociology of Structural Engineering
  (responsibility)
• Teaching standard of care
• Instilling a high moral character
• Encouraging better than minimal competence

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What will we discuss?

• The Business of Structural Engineering
• Respect for company and client
• Consideration of budget and expense
• The fine art of communication
• Technology of Structural Engineering
• Expanding current knowledge
• Effective problem solving
• Rising to leadership within the profession

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What will we discuss?

• Psychology of Structural Engineering
• Thinking outside the box
• From idea to concept to reality
• A positive state of mind
• Concluding remarks

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The Joy of Structural Engineering

• Teach graduates to have confidence in principles
  learned at college
• Basic mechanics of engineering apply to all
  problems and projects
• Simple levels of subject matter are used more
  frequently (math, statics, mechanics of
  materials)
• Value of example problems

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The Joy of Structural Engineering

• Instill confidence through the virtue of a solid
  career
• Structural engineers are in high demand (job
  security)
• Earning potential is tremendous (finding a niche,
  ownership)
• Boredom is only what you make of it (lots of
  variety)
• Plenty of opportunity for growth and betterment
• Plenty of opportunity for travel and new
  experiences
• Plenty of opportunity to be of service to others

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The Joy of Structural Engineering

• Share your confidence with the rest of the world
  
• Learn or drive new technology and discoveries
• Apply your engineering skills to solving
  societys problems or allaying their fears
• Encourage young ones to pursue structural
  engineering as a career goal

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Sociology of Structural Engineering

• The basics of competence in the field of
  engineering begins with a standard of care
• An engineer will perform his or her duties with
  the same diligence that other duly licensed
  engineers would under similar conditions and
  circumstances.
• Not perfection, but care.

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Sociology of Structural Engineering

• Increasing competence through a high moral
  character
• Mentors should set an example
• Training tools
• Patience, tolerance, self-control
• Ethics training seminars, trade publications
• Controlled exposure to clients with a variety of
  temperaments
• Show genuine interest and concern with a
  protégés life outside the office

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Sociology of Structural Engineering

• Encourage better than minimal competence
• Nothing stands in the way of becoming a better
  engineer
• Expand the range of your comfort zone
• Strive for excellence in all engineering work and
  study
• Keep dreams and sights high!

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Business of Structural Engineering

• Business success begins with a respect for
  company and client alike
• Teach / demonstrate company hierarchy
• Make sure company operating procedures and
  protocols are being followed
• Live out the precepts of company philosophy

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Business of Structural Engineering

• Teach the meaning of budget and expense EARLY!
• Budgets and expenditures were facts of life
  during college -- things dont change!
• Time limits were placed on payments and work to
  be completed in college -- things dont change!
• Training tool Show a new employee how their
  time, costs, and overhead on a project affects
  profit or company operation.

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Business of Structural Engineering

• Teach a protégé the fine art of communication
• Articulate without resorting to emotional buzz
  words
• This is very wrong It is obviously due to
• Encourage the development of an intelligent
  vocabulary through reading and writing
• Flexibly explain conclusions to people from all
  walks of life and culture
• Demonstrate the value of being a good listener

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Technology of Structural Engineering

• Maintenance, enhancement, and expansion of
  knowledge and skills is required for licensure
  and critical for success
• Circulate articles about the history of
  engineering marvels and failures
• Advertise upcoming seminars or conferences
• Hold in-house meetings or discussions
• Maintain a respectful company library

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Technology of Structural Engineering

• Teach confidence through a consistent method of
  solving problems
• Carefully review and correct the work of
  graduates until they receive a professional
  license
• Repetition is always virtuous
• Provide reliable and organized example work to
  follow
• Involve them as part of a larger project,
  including administrative duties
• Train a protégé to take a project from start to
  finish

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Technology of Structural Engineering

• Problem solving strategy
• DEFINE the problem accurately
• GENERATE a variety of solutions that meet defined
  conditions
• CHOOSE the best possible solution that meets the
  needs of most parties involved
• DESCRIBE the implementation of the solution in a
  way that can be understood by those concerned
• EVALUATE soundness and success

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Technology of Structural Engineering

• Confidence may be greatly boosted through
  leadership in the engineering community!
• Encourage membership in a national society (ASCE,
  NCSEA)
• Encourage participation on one or more
  engineering committees
• Co-author articles or letters for publication in
  journals
• Run booths or tables for career days

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Psychology of Structural Engineering

• Teach a protégé to discover engineering solutions
  by broad-ranging thought (outside the box)
• Be absolutely familiar with the limitations of
  code, methods of analysis, and evidence.
• Understand the behavior of building materials
  well.
• Consider expanding upon solutions that have been
  used before.
• Consider the suggestions and ideas of others.

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Psychology of Structural Engineering

• Consider how ideas are translated into reality
• Train a protégé to visualize solutions through
  mechanical drafting, either by hand or by
  computer.
• Visit job sites often enough to explain how
  information is translated from a set of plans.
• Gather books on construction means and methods

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Psychology of Structural Engineering

• Maintain a positive attitude and environment
• Team building exercises
• Display contagious confidence
• Have a can do mindset
• Have a desire for helping others find a
  resolution to their hopes and dreams
• Reward and praise good work and achievement

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Concluding remarks

• The first few years of a new graduates
  employment are CRITICAL for positive, directed
  growth.
• Confidence in ones abilities is rooted in real
  competence
• Categories of knowledge Basics (mechanics),
  business (company, clients), behavior
  (materials).

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• THANK YOU!