Engineering Management Institute

UPCOMING TRAINING

How AEC Industry Professionals Can Approach Their Roles as Integrators

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This is a guest blog by Mike Burns, PE, PgMP, DBIA

AEC Industry ProfessionalsLast month we discussed the collective value of our voices: Speak Up, Take a Chance, Your Voice Matters! Today, as we see unrest in our streets, it is more apparent than ever that we actively seek platforms where holistic, inclusive discussions can be leveraged to solve our challenges. Discussions that start with a sense of belonging for everyone in our communities. Discussions that accept that there is not one single path for the next phase of our solutions. Discussions that lead to policies and programs whose governance and investments sustain a shared vision. This month’s blog is far from an answer to this existential crisis. It is simply a personal reflection on how we, as members of our communities and AEC industry professionals, can approach our roles as integrators.  

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TSEC 27: Five Points Structural Engineers Should Know About the ASCE SEI Global Practice Guide

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Global Practice GuideIn this episode of The Structural Engineering Channel podcast, we talk to Anne Ellis, a leader in the AEC industry, about the ASCE SEI Global Practice Guide. Anne provides five very important points that structural engineers should know about this guide.

The Global Practice Guide, developed by and for the structural engineering community, highlights those areas requisite for global practice that are beyond the structural engineer’s domestic field of training, including culture, design, and construction as well as legal and financial issues. This Guide intends to raise awareness of — and seed inquiry into — specific topics that can provide appropriate assistance whether you are contemplating global practice, considering go-no-go decisions on specific opportunities, and/or formulating project planning.

Engineering Quotes:

Global Practice Guide

Global Practice Guide

Global Practice Guide

Here Are Some of the Questions We Ask Anne in This Episode:

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How to Evaluate New Project Management Technologies

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This is a guest blog by Holly Welles

Project Management TechnologiesTechnology and business today are inseparable. Taking advantage of available software solutions is one of the best ways to stay competitive. If nothing else, tools like project management technologies can make it a little easier to do your job.

More than 90% of organizations use standardized project management, but only 58% fully understand its value. You’ve probably heard that software tools can help you, but you may not know what that looks like. What precisely can these solutions do for you, and how do you find the right one?

project management technologies

Benefits of Project Management Software

The overall goal of project management tools is to streamline administrative tasks. They accomplish this in several different ways. While features vary depending on the software, benefits typically include:

  • More straightforward communication and collaboration
  • Scheduling tools
  • Budget and spending tracking
  • Simplified document management
  • Standardization for work processes
  • A centralized place to do all of this

Project management software has a lot to offer, and there’s no shortage of options, either. This variety means you can find the perfect solution for your needs, but it also means you may have trouble finding the right one. How do you sort through everything to find the best software for the job?

Here Are Five Tips to Help You Evaluate Project Management Technologies:

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TCEP 145: What High School Students and Undergraduates Should Know About Civil Engineering

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high school studentsIn this episode I talk about what high school students and young adults should know about a career in civil engineering. This episode is intended to be a resource that you can share with high school students and their parents to inform them about the profession of civil engineering. You can also view this episode on our YouTube channel.

Engineering Quotes:

high school students

high school students

Here Are Some Key Points Discussed in This Episode: 

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How to Create Your Most Productive Day in 30 Minutes

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This is a guest blog by Matthew Gaddy

productive day

Would you believe me if I told you the only thing between you and the most productive day you’ve had is 30 minutes? 

Thirty minutes is all it takes to transition from feeling overwhelmed and stressed out to an engineer who has a plan to be productive and conquer their day.  

Keep reading to find out how you can take control over your day, get your most important priorities accomplished, and stay productive. 

1. Get to Your Workstation 30 Minutes Early (30 Minutes Till Work)

I know you may have stress about going to work because you feel like you have so much to do and don’t know where to begin, and that’s OK! Prepare yourself before the actual work starts by getting to your workstation 30 minutes early.  

This will allow you time to plan out your day without being rushed. By planning your day, you can schedule your success. Creating a plan before work begins allows you to be proactive with productivity instead of simply reacting to outside influences. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”  

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TSEC 26: Updates to the 2020 NCSEA SE3 Survey

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SE3 SurveyIn episode 26 of The Structural Engineering Channel, we talk to Rose McClure PE, SE, LEED AP, a senior consulting engineer at Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc. Rose talks about SE3, an NCSEA Committee that works to improve engagement and retention of structural engineers. She provides us with the latest updates on the SE3 2020 survey, the state of engagement and equity in the SE profession, and the future of the profession from the perspective of a younger engineer.

Engineering Quotes:

SE3 Survey

SE3 Survey

SE3 Survey

Here Are Some of the Questions We Ask Rose McClure in This Episode:

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Overcoming Resistance When Developing Your Personal Brand

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This is a guest blog by Jamie Buck

personal branding

In this article, I’d like to discuss how I stumbled onto the path of personal branding by identifying my area of expertise. By sharing this story, I hope you are able to take a few shortcuts to finding your own path to personal branding.

First, why are personal branding and expertise important?

  1. Personal branding is a way to differentiate yourself from the crowd, a time-tested cornerstone of career development. Additionally, it invites conversation with like-minded folks.
  2. Developing expertise is essential to personal branding. It may be subjective but can be seen as a skill that adds additional value. You may ask, don’t we all have expertise? Well, yes and no. To the outside world, a discipline (such as engineering) may be seen to have a level of expertise, but within the bounds of that discipline, at best, it can be a level playing field unless you actively build your expertise.

personal branding

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TCEP 144: How the Coronavirus Crisis Will Change Commercial Construction in the U.S.

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commercial constructionIn episode 144 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk to Jennifer Goodman, writer and editor at Construction Dive, about how the coronavirus crisis has changed commercial construction and what the general outlook will be for the rest of the year and beyond.

Engineering Quotes:

Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Jennifer Goodman of Construction Dive:

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Who Knows What You Know? – Your Voice Matters!

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Your Voice Matters is a guest blog by Mike Burns

Voice MattersLast month we discussed Continuous Learning, growing together as teachers and students, deepening our commitment to sustained personal and professional growth. As our COVID-19 response continues to mature, the AEC industry is rapidly advancing new ways of communicating, learning, and delivering projects. As we Zoom from meeting to meeting (cheesy pun intended), it is easy to feel connected without truly connecting. Yet this moment — this critical period of recovery — necessitates sustained empathetic listening in order to empower a diverse and inclusive chorus of critical voices. Infrastructure improvements will be a vital component of our pending economic recovery. We must concurrently fast track “shovel-ready” projects and restructure our capital improvement plans, setting the stage for a wave of critical infrastructure projects. Your voice matters, and is particularly critical today as we make difficult choices, pivoting to and accelerating new solutions. I hope that this embarrassing, yet rewarding story from my career inspires you to assert yourself in this moment for your community and our world.

Voice Matters

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TSEC 25: Yes, I Am an Engineer! But You Don’t Look Like an Engineer!

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Look Like an EngineerIn episode 25 of The Structural Engineering Podcast, we talk to Kayley Seawright, an aeromechanics structural analyst. Kayley talks about her career journey and provides some great advice to our listeners on how they should never give up on their dreams no matter how people may perceive them — and especially when people tell them they don’t look like an engineer.

Engineering Quotes:

Look Like an Engineer

Here Are Some of the Questions We Ask Kayley in This Episode:

  • You were the 2013 student body president at Clemson. You do not often hear of engineers holding that position. Tell us about how you obtained it.
  • EMI originally found you through an article on a website called Vision Balm that talked about how some (or many) people told you that you didn’t look like an engineer. Can you talk about the effect this has had on you and your career?
  • How has saying “yes” to opportunities and finding a way to make opportunities work affected your career as an engineer?
  • COVID-19 has drastically changed our lives and our careers. How has it impacted you and how do you see it impacting your job or career long term?
  • Please tell us about your journey as a Disney Performer.
  • Our listeners are mostly engineers working on structural projects. Can you share any career advice with them that might be helpful in their career journey?

Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed in This Episode:

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