As an engineering student going through college, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had little exposure to the day-to-day activities of engineers and especially Civil Engineers. Most of the general public don’t even know what Civil Engineers do either which is why I’m going to write this ongoing series on top of my regular posts.
I think this would be a great opportunity for “outsiders” to get an inside peak at the life of an engineer to clear up any misconceptions that you or any others might have. I would love if more engineers of different backgrounds also chimed in on their day-to-day activity especially for the young highschool or college kids that are unsure of the path they would like to take. On this journey, I’m going to describe what engineering is and most importantly, what it is not.
So without further adieu, my background is in site development. In other words, I layout private developments such as restaurants, office buildings, multi-family developments, and even the occasional residential subdivision. Basically I design the existing site to allow for the construction of the development. Such design includes, grading (adjusting elevations), utility extension, and storm runoff relief.
My day-to-day work is very diverse due to the large amount of different people needed to successfully complete a development including; contractors, architects, developers, city staff, mechanical engineers, structural engineers, property owners, citizens, stake holders, and the list goes on. Hopefully you enjoy this series, and please feel free to comment with any questions you may have along the way!
The Business of Engineering 