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  • 1.  CAREER REBOOT & RE-ENTRY PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES

    Posted 01-04-2021 04:03 PM
    Edited by Tirza Austin 01-04-2021 04:02 PM
      |   view attached
    Happy new year greetings to you'll. I am a civil engineer with over 25-years of experience. My career took a long detour into project management and I am looking forward to reboot and re-launch my career in civil engineering. How can I shift my career back to civil engineering? I look forward to reading your suggestions!

    Bernard Nartey,  BSc,MPM, P.E.,M.ASCE,PMP
    Brownsburg, Indiana

    linkedin.com/in/bernard-jb-nartey-bsc-eng-mpm-up-pe-m-asce-pmp-7877b818

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    Bernard Nartey P.E.,M.ASCE
    Project Manager
    Brownsburg IN
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    Attachment(s)



  • 2.  RE: CAREER REBOOT & RE-ENTRY PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES

    Posted 01-11-2021 02:22 PM
    Hi Bernard, 

    I took a hiatus to raise kids for about 10 years. My experience was to find a small company that was flexible and willing to let me learn and grow on the job. As you know, every project teaches us something. A good company will see your experience as a benefit. If you can find a small company that needs both engineering and project management, that may be the great way to use your experience and strengthen the area you want to grow in. 

    Wishing you the best,
    Sonya Webb, PE, CFM

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    Sonya Webb P.E., M.ASCE
    Civil Engineer
    Jensen Design & Survey, Inc.
    Ventura CA
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  • 3.  RE: CAREER REBOOT & RE-ENTRY PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES

    Posted 01-12-2021 09:20 AM
    Thank you soo much for your advice.

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    Bernard Nartey P.E.,M.ASCE
    Project Manager
    Brownsburg IN
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  • 4.  RE: CAREER REBOOT & RE-ENTRY PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES

    Posted 01-18-2021 08:52 AM
    I think Sonya Webb's advice is great, to find a smaller, more flexible firm. The larger the company, the more their established standards are entrenched. That said, often all it takes to get that movement/flexibility in a larger company is to establish a relationship with someone in a high enough position that they have the authority to make bigger decisions with more autonomy. COVID has made relationship-building quite tough for extroverts like me.

    One thing I'll add to Sonya's comment about a small company potentially seeing your broader experience as a benefit is that *any* company should be able to see broad experience, or varied experience, as a benefit. If they don't, it's not a great fit. Also, it can very much be a matter of "sales" for you to sell your varied experience as a benefit. For me, this is personal.

    I graduated with my Bachelor's at the age of 35. But I had been working on and off since I was 14. I've been a mechanic, a teacher, a construction worker, a massage therapist even, and when I graduated I went straight into construction management. This wasn't a difficult step because I was fresh out of school with a BSCE and a little construction experience already. But when I wanted to transition into design, I thought I'd have some difficulty compared to those with more (any) design experience. The fact that I had practical experience managing the construction of projects was actually a big benefit for the company I went to, because they were getting into engineering design and construction management, rather than just the planning and concept design they had been doing. I was lucky, and didn't have to do a lot of research or looking to find this opportunity, but these perfect fits are out there.

    It has always been networking that really got me the good positions at the right time. And, a *good* recruiter can be a valuable aid. Bad/lazy recruiters are just a waste of everyone's time.

    Good luck!

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    Ari Daniels, P.E., M.ASCE
    Outland, LLC - Owner/Principal
    Center for Watershed Protection, Inc. - Water Resources Engineer
    Monterey, Virginia, USA
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  • 5.  RE: CAREER REBOOT & RE-ENTRY PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES

    Posted 01-18-2021 04:12 PM
    Thanks Ari Daniels for your advice

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    Bernard Nartey P.E.,M.ASCE
    Project Manager
    Brownsburg IN
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  • 6.  RE: CAREER REBOOT & RE-ENTRY PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES

    Posted 01-25-2021 09:05 AM
    This thread shows that there is talent out there!!   and suppport for small firms....they do offer entry points for new or interuped careers!
    I am the owner on one such small firm - but our specialty is water resources so is hard to see a direct fit here. 
    I want to suggest to add any American credentials you can, such as taking and passing the FE exam and the PE exam in your state. 
    You can also start networking quite easilty on-line now with any engineering groups on line, like your local ASCE chapter. 
    Best!

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    William O'Brien P.E., M.ASCE
    NextGen Engineering
    Tucson AZ
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