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In this episode, we talk to Bill Keen, CRPC, founder and CEO of Keen Wealth Advisors as well as a bestselling author and co-host of the Keen on Retirement Podcast, about retirement for engineers, financial planning, company plans, and also how the stock market will affect your retirement.
***You can view the video version of this podcast episode on YouTube here***
“The engineer’s first problem in any design situation is to discover what the problem really is.” ~ Unknown
Engineering is an ever-evolving field, and staying on top of the latest trends is essential for success. As an engineer, you need to stay abreast of emerging technologies and develop your skill set in order to remain competitive in the job market. Here are some tips for becoming a better engineer and advancing in your career.
It’s important to keep up with the latest advances in engineering technology. The industry is constantly changing, and understanding new technologies will give you an edge over other engineers who are stuck using outdated methods and systems. You can read industry publications or attend seminars and workshops to stay informed about the newest developments in engineering technology.
Engineers often think of their job as purely technical, but it’s just as important to have strong soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, time management, leadership, teamwork, and critical thinking. These skills are essential for working effectively with colleagues on projects or leading teams. Consider joining a professional organization or attending a conference to network with other professionals in your field and develop these important skills.
[Read more…] about 3 Proven Methods to Becoming a Better Engineer
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In this episode, I talk to Matthew Byrd, the president and founder of Nexus 3D Consulting, and founder/host of the Reality Capture Network (RCN), about reality capturing and how it can benefit firms in the AEC industry.
[Read more…] about AECT 010: How Reality Capturing can Benefit Firms in the AEC Industry
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In this episode, we talk to John R. Wolosick, P.E., SE, D.GE, F.ASCE, senior advisor for Keller North America Inc., about why design-build is so effective in geotechnical projects and how you can manage risk during design-build projects.
[Read more…] about TGEP 68: Why Design-Build Is So Effective in Geotechnical Projects
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In this episode, we talk to Brian Martz, P.E., a department manager at Mayes Testing Engineers, Inc., a Terracon Company, about the keys to developing an exceptional quality culture within your organization.
In this article, I want to highlight a critically important equation that every engineering executive, leader and HR professional must be aware of to avoid wasting a lot of time and money and to best develop their most important resource: their people.
A colleague recently shared a white paper with me entitled “A Brief Introduction to Ensuring Learning Transfer” by Pollock and Jefferson.
While I am always interested in learning about learning, as an engineer, this white paper hit home because the authors present an equation to ensure that learning is transferred and that real results are achieved.
This is very important to me because I remember attending an all-day project management bootcamp once per year when I was a young engineer. I was barraged with new terms and concepts and then given a binder full of them to go back to my office. Well, I took it back to my office, put it on my shelf, and never looked at the binder again. Never ever, for a multitude of reasons — the main ones being that I was just too busy, and I forgot about it for long stretches of time.
What I realize now is that I was missing a key component in this critical equation presented in the white paper:
If you look at this equation, everyone participating in training will possess the learning component, which is the actual training, whether it’s an in-person seminar, a live webinar, or even an on-demand recorded course. However, a large percentage of people (more than 50% according to the white paper referenced) won’t get results from the training because they are missing the transfer component.
The transfer component of the equation could be several different things, including reminders of the concepts presented in the training, reflection, accountability, coaching, collaborative components of the training, etc.
So, if the transfer component is zero, then the result of the equation is zero. In other words, the time and money spent on training did not yield the desired results.
At the Engineering Management Institute (EMI), we incorporate transfer into every one of our programs, usually through a combination of different items depending on the client or what worked in our previously successful programs.
The bottom line here is that as you plan and prepare for the training programs you intend to purchase or design for your team in 2023, consider the formula outlined above. Unless you include both learning and transfer, you won’t get the results you’re paying for. The equation guarantees you won’t.
If you’re looking for people management or project management training for engineering professionals, we offer live/interactive recurring programs throughout the year, as well as custom and on-demand options that can be built into your learning management systems and processes.
Our next live sessions start on January 26th (People Skills) and April 11th (Project Management Skills). If you’re interested in enrolling some of your managers or aspiring managers, or having someone audit the course to start, please contact our office at 800-920-4007.
We also offer our Engineering Management Training Needs Assessment as an inexpensive first step in deciding how to maximize your training spend and your people.
This article was originally posted on LinkedIn here.
Please leave your comments, feedback or questions in the section below on the most important equation for engineers when it comes to learning.
Anthony Fasano, PE, LEED AP
Engineering Management Institute
Author of Engineer Your Own Success
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In this episode, I talk to Alejandro Jimenez Gomez, the Head of Project Development for Global Offshore Wind projects at UL Solutions, about how he manages offshore wind projects, and what some of the current and future risks are for this industry.
[Read more…] about TEPM 10: How to Effectively Manage Offshore Wind Projects
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In this episode, we talk to Eric McDonnell, P.E., the Principal at Holmes, about why mass timber is gaining popularity and how it can help you in your engineering projects. He also talks about how his time working abroad has helped grow his engineering career.
[Read more…] about TSEC 95: Why Mass Timber Is Gaining in Popularity in the Engineering Industry
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In this episode, I talk to Matt Kastberg, who is the Regional Division Manager of Community Building for the Puget Sound Offices of Parametrix Inc., about how engineering managers can use their knowledge of past projects to inspire their team.
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In this episode, we talk to On Freund, who is the co-founder and CEO of Wilco, a startup dedicated to empowering developers to unlock their full potential, about why imposter syndrome affects so many engineers and how they can overcome it.
[Read more…] about TECC 293: How Engineers Can Identify and Combat Imposter Syndrome
