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Three Steps to Make the Most of Your Decisions

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This is a guest blog by Gina Covarrubias

DecisionsWhen it comes to decision-time, do you go all in, or do you spend time waffling and floundering? Learn what you can do to make the most of any decision you make!

1. Commitment vs. Giving Up

Sadly, we sit all too often in a state of doubt, self-defeat, or regret after making a decision. It is so tempting to think, “Oh no, was that the right decision? What if I made the wrong choice, etc.?” The agonies that come along with a what-if mentality can leave your self-esteem lacking and your energy depleted. 

I’d like to offer a more useful three-step approach you can apply when it comes to your decision-making skills. 

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TGEP 51: How Engineers Can Help Improve the Safety of Mine Tailing Dams

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Mine Tailing DamsIn this episode, we talk to Roy Mayfield, Ph.D., P.E., about mine tailing dams, how we can help improve the safety of these dams, and why having sound engineering judgment and expertise is crucial in your engineering career.

Engineering Quotes:

Mine Tailing Dams

Here Are Some of the Questions We Ask Roy:

  • What are mine tailing dams, and what are they used for?
  • When mine tailing dams fail, the results can be catastrophic. Should we be worried about it, and what are some of the consequences of a collapse?
  • What can be done to improve tailing dam safety?
  • Can you talk to us about one project that stood out to you in your career, and what you learned from it?
  • How can engineers develop sound engineering judgment and expertise?
  • What final piece of advice would you like to give young engineers when dealing with uncertainty in their careers?

Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed About Mine Tailing Dams:

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TCEP 211: How Civil Engineers Can Be Successful on the Job

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Successful on the JobIn this episode of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I answer a few questions that I received from a consulting engineer a few years out of school about how to be successful on the job, get up to speed with design practices, learn codes, gain field practice, and organize resources and knowledge. 

Successful on the Job

Tips to Be Successful on the Job and Learn Quickly in Your First Year:

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The Benefits of Working for a Private Water Utility

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This is a guest post by Jon Earle, PE, ENV SP

Private Water UtilityIn this blog post, I will be discussing the benefits of working as an engineer for a private water utility. My current role is Manager of Engineering and Technical Services with Maine Water Company. We are a collection of 12 small to medium-sized systems serving approximately 80,000 people across Maine. Maine Water is part of the San Jose Water Group (SJWG) and is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

Variety of Projects

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TEQC 07: What Is the ISO 9001 Certification (And Why Is It Important for Engineers?)

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ISO 9001In this episode of The Engineering Quality Control podcast, we talk to Wayne Martin, P.E., about his experience working for large firms with ISO 9001 Certification, what it is, and why it is important. He also talks about how he started his firm during the pandemic and how he continues to benefit from risks he took early in his career.

Engineering Quotes:

ISO 9001

ISO 9001

Here Are Some of the Questions We Ask Wayne:

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How to Use Personal Branding to Build Your Engineering Career

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This is a guest post by Tiffani Teachey

Personal BrandingBuilding a successful career as an engineer is essential to establishing yourself as a credible expert in your field. One of the best ways to do this is through personal branding. By creating a solid personal brand, you can make yourself visible and recognizable within your industry, which can help you stand out from the competition and lead to more excellent opportunities for advancement. If you’re looking to build your engineering career, using personal branding is a strategy you should consider!

This post will discuss how personal branding can help engineers reach their career goals. We’ll also provide tips on how to get started with personal branding. So, if you’re ready to take your engineering career to the next level, keep reading!

“You can be sure others do it for you if you’re not branding yourself.” ~ Unknown

Here are three ways to use personal branding to build your engineering career:

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TSEC 78: Transmission Line Design in Structural Engineering

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Transmission LineIn this episode, we talk to Cody Forell, Structural Design Engineer at Sunflower Electric Power Corporation,  about transmission line design and what it is like working as a structural engineer at an electrical utility.

Engineering Quotes:

Transmission Line

Transmission Line

Here Are Some of the Questions We Ask Cody:

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TCEP 210: The Civil Engineering Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities

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Civil Engineering WorkforceIn this episode, I talk to Matthew Low, P.E., Senior Vice President at Hoyle, Tanner & Associates, Inc., about challenges and opportunities in the civil engineering workforce, and how engineers can overcome these challenges to excel in their careers.

Engineering Quotes:

Civil Engineering Workforce

Civil Engineering Workforce

Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Matthew:

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Learning to Lead and Succeed with ‘SFA’: Success From Anywhere

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This is a guest post by Peter C. Atherton, P.E.

SuccessCOVID forced “work from home.” Then evolved the idea of “work from anywhere” – whether that be home, a local café, or other workspace.

As we work through the sometimes half-hearted attempts to bring our employees back to the office, the organizational development and talent attraction and retention idea that I believe will stick is “SFA” – success from anywhere.

Success From Anywhere

What is SFA, and how can we make this work, especially among “back to the past” forces within us that have very likely already cost us in terms of missed opportunity and preparedness for our inevitable future state?

Let’s leave the resistance to SFA aside for a moment (or at least until the link at the bottom of this article) because even the skeptics and the naysayers recognize the competitive disadvantages of not offering some type of work flexibility in this employee-driven market — hence the half-hearted and tempered calls for a full return to the office.

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TGEP 50: InSAR and Finite Element Analysis in Geotechnical Engineering

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Finite Element AnalysisIn this episode, we talk to Andrew Lees, Ph.D., MICE CEng, Director of Geofem, Global Application Technology Manager at Tensar International, as well as Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Southampton about Finite Element Analysis, Geogrid Stabilization, InSAR, and what the future looks like for geotechnical engineering.

Engineering Quotes:

Finite Element Analysis

Finite Element Analysis

Here Are Some of the Questions We Ask Andrew:

  • What is FEA (Finite Element Analysis) and what are its benefits to construction?
  • What’s your advice to young engineers starting in FEA in geotechnical engineering?
  • What’s the biggest revolution in recent years in geogrid reinforcement?
  • InSAR is growing fast in the geotechnical field. Can you explain to our listeners, who might not be too familiar with it, what InSAR is and how it works?
  • What does the future look like for geotechnical engineering, in your opinion?
  • What advice would you like to give young engineers considering getting involved in these fields of geotechnical engineering?

Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed About InSAR and Finite Element Analysis in Geotechnical Engineering:

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