As the job market shifts, finding and supporting the next generation of civil engineers presents a myriad of challenges. We spoke to Transportation Project Manager Kathy Duffney about how our team proactively recruits and empowers up-and-coming engineers as they start shaping their careers.
Practical engineering on the decline
Building a passionate, knowledgeable AEC workforce is always a challenge, but in recent years, there’s been a notable decline in new graduates and experienced technicians able to address the needs of developing communities. As confirmed by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the civil engineering field is facing a shortage of fresh talent, posing a growing concern over firms having enough expertise to solve tomorrow’s infrastructure issues.
While there isn’t one clear-cut answer as to why the talent pool is shrinking, contributing factors include:
- Technology: Today’s brightest minds are faced with a dilemma: Will rapidly advancing technology make current career paths obsolete? Mechanical and robotic engineering have strong appeal as AI and other emerging technologies shape the unknown future.
- Subject Matter Exposure: Undergraduate engineering students don’t always get introduced to the full breadth of possible career paths, meaning some necessary specialties such as transportation may be getting left in the shuffle.
- Mentorship: Real-world guidance on what it’s actually like to work in the field is eye opening, but depending on the classwork and internship opportunities available to students, they may not receive that 1-on-1 support to shape their next career steps.
“Civil engineers are needed to keep communities moving. A lot of people don’t understand the impact we make on people’s daily lives. It’s not just about building a street; it’s creating access to services or goods. Making people’s commutes better. We open spaces to new uses and make a real difference in society.”
Kathy Duffney, Transportation Project Manager
Actionable steps for engineering career support
With these challenges in mind, V3 is taking a proactive approach to supporting the next generation of civil engineers. We have a robust set of career opportunities and support systems to not only recruit new talent to the team, but to continue developing their interests and passions once they’re here.
Internship and co-op programs
We offer hands-on internship and co-op opportunities for current engineering students, allowing them to work on active job sites alongside industry experts. Students get exposed to projects and people not just in their prospective specialty but across service lines, creating a broad understanding of how our engineers work together to deliver holistic solutions.
Diversity scholarship
Developing a diverse workforce makes our firm and the communities we serve stronger, which is why we offer annual scholarships to STEM students who are less represented in the current AEC landscape. Scholarship winners not only receive financial support but are able to connect with our team and learn from our experience.
Career charters
V3 employees shape their next steps through our career charter program. This collaborative process between employee and manager empowers individuals to voice their interests and create an actionable plan for next steps, whether that’s taking on new responsibilities or exploring different fields altogether.
Mentorship plays a huge role at V3. Recently, Kathy helped one of our newer engineers, Anthony Fornaro, move from our land development team to transportation. Anthony joined V3 right out of school and was developing his long-term career plan. Though he’d long been interested in how bridges, railways, and public transportation work together, he hadn’t seen how transportation engineers work in a professional environment. After expressing that curiosity to Kathy, she opened the door to her team, exposing him to the tools and projects of their day to day. This experience helped Anthony find his place.
“Getting exposure to different specialties makes all the difference. You never know what will strike you. Testing things out helps you either find something you really love or figure out what you don’t like. I didn’t know what working in transportation would look like, but everyone at V3 has been so invested in me and now I love the work.”
Anthony Fornaro, Engineer II
Additional outreach
Our team is passionate about inspiring students. Through our VSR program, we partner with several industry organizations such as Junior Achievement, Engineers Without Boarders, and ACEC to visit classrooms and show young minds how they can make an impact. In fact, Kathy sits on the ACEC Workforce Development committee which is aimed at finding new ways to generate interest in engineering careers.
“Having mentored younger engineers for a while, I try to mention typical errors or misunderstandings that I have seen or heard of along the way. I explain why those approaches don’t work and the problems that can come about when they are used. I try to help them avoid making the same mistakes others have made. I really enjoy supporting the next generation.”
Kathy Duffney, Transportation Project Manager
V3 creates rewarding engineering careers
We believe balancing personal fulfillment, professional growth, and talent development is the path towards career satisfaction, which is why “Dedication to Employees” is one of our core values. Explore our current job and internship opportunities.