While you're here, meet a few people who are in the industry and see what they have to say about their careers.
| Annie C. | Chad M. | Cristin L. | David G. | Daniel I |
| Hiep S. V. | Jay R. | Kristin W. | Mary Beth F. | Tandis B. |
| Tara W. | Timothy F. | Timothy L. | Veronica M. |
Q. What is your current position with the Industry?
A. I am a construction engineer and inspector for a grass roots compressor station in New Jersey this year. Although, I am normally a plant design engineer in Houston, TX.
Q. Where did you obtain your undergraduate/graduate degree(s)
and in what fields?
A. I have a BS in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University.
Q. What subjects/courses were instrumental in helping you
gain your current position?
A. Concrete design, steel design, project management, and construction materials.
Q. How many years of education were needed in order for you
to enter the industry?
A. Four, though I took 4 ½.
Q. Were any summer internships or advanced learning
opportunities helpful in entering the industry?
A. My internships were in totally different industries, so no.
Q. Does your current position allow you to travel? If so,
what was your favorite location?
A. I travel pretty much all over the US. And I have now lived in Houston, TX; Mobile, AL and New Jersey (about a half hour from NYC). My favorite location was probably Panama City Beach, Florida, but being so close to NYC has been a lot of fun also.
Q. What opportunities do you see for yourself in the
industry?
A. There are plenty of opportunities to engineer diverse projects (offshore platforms, steel buildings, liquid natural gas (LNG) tanks, etc). I can also move up into management and take a more corporate route.
Q. What are some of your favorite aspects of your job?
A. I love the travel, the people, and the diverse projects. From one year to the next I could be traveling to a new place and/or designing something totally different to what I have done before.
Q. What are some of the most surprising aspects of your job?
A. How quickly project scopes can change…
Q. What is the most rewarding part of your job?
A. We bring energy to so many people in the country that finishing a project and starting the flow is very rewarding. To know that they will have heat on the coldest days, air conditioning on the hottest day and natural gas to run the factories and businesses where people work is a great feeling.
Q. What are some of your interests outside of your position
responsibilities?
A. I am a total soccer mom (five kids, one dog, and an SUV included). Otherwise, I love to read and plan our next family adventure. Any time beyond that is dedicated to sleep, of which I definitely don’t get enough.
Q. What is the most exciting technological tool that you have
either used or helped to develop in your job?
A. The smart pigs we use to measure corrosion in pipe walls are very exciting. That we can send a machine through the pipe to detect the tiniest of deteriorations and fix problems before they become real problems is always great.
Q. Do you speak any foreign languages? If so, were they
helpful in your position?
A. I speak VERY bad Spanish (I am definitely not fluent). And other than greetings and being able to order off menus, no, it has not helped in my position.
