A recent Twitter chat designed to offer advice to students and new grads that are seeking careers in the water or utility industries sparked an internal discussion about this very topic.
We polled a few of our water engineers to get their advice not only on how students can prepare for the field, but also what they can do to help their job search. Here’s what they recommend:
1. Tour a Water/Wastewater Facility
“Whether you go with a student organization, class group or on your own, visiting a treatment plant can provide great insight into the field. Seeing how the components of a plant fit together and discussing daily operations with the plant staff will really give you a concrete understanding of the theories and concepts you are learning in the classroom.”
2. Pay Attention to What Interests You in Your Classes
“Understanding the type of projects/topics that interest you will help you navigate your career choices and select a path that will be most rewarding for you.”
3. Develop Your Communication Skills
“Developing great communication skills is a key component of success. I think it’s important to try and give presentations in front of live audiences whenever possible. This allows you to learn to introduce yourself to and converse with strangers and to gain confidence presenting, which will be important as your career develops. It’s equally important to focus on developing a professional tone in writing emails, proposals and the like. Technical knowledge is important, but for you to really succeed as an engineer you must have the ability to effectively communicate your knowledge and ideas to others.”
Rachel Thompson is an assistant environmental engineer in Burns & McDonnell’s Water Group. A Texas A&M graduate, Rachel works on water treatment systems for municipal and industrial facilities, with an emphasis on process design and optimization.
4. Participate in Professional Organizations
“College students interested in the water field should actively participate in professional organizations, such as the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and Water Environment Federation (WEF) as student members. Attending conferences and other sponsored events is a great way to develop connections and a network of contacts that can help you get a foot in the door when trying to find a job.”
Paul Ward is a graduate of Cal Poly State University and an environmental engineer in Burns & McDonnell’s Water Group and specializes in municipal and industrial wastewater treatment systems, sewer and pipeline infrastructure, drinking water treatment, and hydraulics.
5. Get Experience During an Internship
“Once you identify your interests, it’s important to deepen your college experience with an internship that allows you to explore a particular industry or field. Not only will you get a firsthand look at daily responsibilities and project work, you’ll also be able to develop your professional network, something that can be a big asset in your job search. You could also look into opportunities to volunteer at a public municipality, which is another way to gain additional on-the-job experience while building your network.”
Kirk Molacek is a graduate of the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and is a structural engineer in Burns & McDonnell’s Water Group. His primary focus is structural design for water, wastewater, and industrial treatment facilities, as well as concrete and masonry design, whole building design, steel design of standard and site-specific equipment supports, pipe rack supports, and varied foundation design, including spread footings, slabs on grade and mats.
6. Attend Events and Conferences
“It’s important to get involved with and attend local AWWA and Water Environment Association (WEA) events and conferences. Not only will you learn valuable information about the industry, you’ll also have access to prime networking opportunities that can help you build valuable professional connections. And to expand on Kirk’s suggestion above, look for internships either with utilities, Departments of Environmental Quality or Departments of Natural Resources or with engineering firms that have completed projects that interest you.”
Dana Weir is a graduate of the University of Iowa and an environmental engineer in Burns & McDonnell’s Water Group, a role in which she focuses on water master planning, hydraulic modeling, storage analysis and water treatment. Her project experience includes water treatment plant design, construction management, water supply and distribution system projects. Dana has also served as project engineer for municipal master plans that have included facility planning, water demand projections, and distribution system modeling.
Be sure to check out the #CareersInUtilities hashtag, too, for other valuable advice shared during last week’s Twitter chat. If you’re searching for a water or utility industry career, we wish you the best of luck!