1.2.1 This is Your Career

1.    What is your age?
I am 26 years old.

2.    Where do you live?

I live in Fort Wayne where I have rented an apartment.

3.    What do you like to do outside of work?

Outside of work, I enjoy traveling, going to the lakes, playing cards and hanging out with friends.

4.    What is your job title?
I just recieved my professional liscense for Civil Engineering. Specificly, I am a Structural Engineer.

5.    When and why did you choose your career path?

I chose this career path because I find it very interesting. I have always found building objects and finding ways to make them structuraly sound cool. I decided to to be a Structural Engineer when I first came to college at Purdue University.

6.    What is the name of your company or employer?

I am employed by The Albrecht Group.

7.    Describe your primary duties and skills. [Cite your source(s)]

As a Structural Engineer at The Albrecht Group, some of my duties are gather and review customer specifications, prepare structure design estimates which comply with client’s criteria for strength and deflection, perform structural analysis and design of various structures, design structure connections, base plate, flange plates, arm to pole connections, and other miscellaneous connections, prepare engineering package to issue to Drafting, review engineering and fabrication drawings.

(http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobDetails.aspx?Job_DID=JHM1P869034PHYSMS5H&siteid=sep_indeed_engineer&ipath=EXGOO)

8.    Describe your physical work environment.

My job takes place in an office when I am designing, out of the office when I am collecting reviews and meeting with clients to talk about specifications. My job has many aspects to its enviroment.

9.    What is your favorite part of your job?

My favorite part is designing the structure and analysing its performance.

10. What is your salary? [Cite your source(s)]

My salary is approxamatly $55,000 a year.

(http://www.ehow.com/infostructural-engineer-starting-salaries.html)

 11. Which accredited school did you first attend, and what was your degree? [Cite your source(s)]

I attended Purdue University and recieved a masters degree in Structural Engineering.

(https://engineering.purdue.edu/CE/Academics/Groups/Structural)

12. Describe in detail three of the courses that you took which are closely related to your current career. [Cite your source(s)]

At college, I took PHYS 17200,  MA 16600, and  ENGR 13100.

PHYS 17200- Introductory calculus-based physics course using fundamental interactions between atoms to describe Newtonian mechanics, conservation laws, energy quantization, entropy, the kinetic theory of gases, and related topics in mechanics and thermodynamics. Emphasis is on using only a few fundamental principles to describe physical phenomena extending from nuclei to galaxies. 3-D graphical simulations and numerical problem solving by computer are employed by the student from the very beginning. Typically offered Summer Fall Spring.

MA 16600-Vectors in two and three dimensions. Techniques of integration, infinite series, polar coordinates, surfaces in three dimensions. Not open to students with credit in MA 16200. Typically offered Fall Spring.

ENGR 13100- A partnership between Schools and Programs within the College of Engineering, introduces students to the engineering professions using multidisciplinary, societally relevant content. Developing engineering approaches to systems, generating and exploring creative ideas, and use of quantitative methods to support design decisions. Explicit model-development activities (engineering eliciting activities, EEAs) engage students in innovative thinking across the engineering disciplines at Purdue. Experiencing the process of design and analysis in engineering including how to work effectively in teams. Developing skills in project management, engineering fundamentals, oral and graphical communication, logical thinking, and modern engineering tools (e.g., Excel and MATLAB). Typically offered Fall Spring Summer.

(https://selfservice.mypurdue.purdue.edu/prod/bwckctlg.p_display_courses)

13. Describe the two courses that you considered most challenging. [Cite your source(s) and include a course listing from the appropriate degree program]
The two classes that were toughest for me were Introductory to Stuctural Mechanics and Structural Analysis I.

Introductory to Structural Mechanics- Credit Hours: 4.00. Loads; structural forms; analysis of axially loaded members, flexural members, torsional members; combined loading conditions; buckling. Basic behavioral characteristics of structural elements and systems illustrated by laboratory experiments. Typically offered Fall Spring.

Structural Analysis I- Credit Hours: 3.00. Stress resultants (reactions, axial forces, shear forces, and bending moments) for beams and framed structures. Deflections of beams and frames by geometric methods (moment-area theorems and applications; conjugate beam analogy). Analysis of statically indeterminate beams and frames by classical stiffness methods; slope deflection and moment distribution. Influence functions and their applications. Typically offered Fall Spring.

(https://selfservice.mypurdue.purdue.edu/prod/bwckctlg.p_display_courses)

Even though these were challanging courses, I succeded.

14. What resources did your school have available to help you get through the most difficult courses? [Cite your source(s)]

Purdue had great teachers that were there to help me become my best. All of the resources I need such as study centers and libraries were convienent. I am also a part of a learning community where 20 other students and I could get together to work on classes we had together.

(http://www.purdue.edu/sats/learning_communities/index.html)

15. Regarding the two most challenging courses, how did you persevere?
Because I was at a great school such as Purdue, with the help of my resources I prevailed with a high grades in my toughest classes.

16. From what school(s) did you receive graduate degrees? [Cite your source(s)]

I recieved my graduate degrees from Purdue University.

(http://www.gradschool.purdue.edu/programs/academic.cfm)

17. What was the title or titles of the degree(s)? [Cite your source(s)]
The title of my degree is Structural Engineer.

(https://engineering.purdue.edu/CE/Academics/Graduate)

18.  What licenses do you have and what were the exams required to receive those licenses? [Cite your source(s)]

I have an Indiana Structural Engineer licsence. The test I had to take is called the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam, then the Profesional Engineer Exam, and finally I took the Structural Engineering Exam.

(http://www.civilengineeringcareers.org/how-to-become-a-structural-engineer)

19. How would your clients and co-workers describe you?

They describe me as hardworking and dedicated to my work.

20. What do you hope to accomplish at the conclusion of your career?
I hope to move up the ranks and eventually own my own or manage a structural engineering buisness.

21.  Why should a high school student consider a career in your field?  What important contribution(s) can they make?
Students should consider being a Structural Engineer because it is a fun and always changing job plus the work you do, makes huge contributions to society. This includes making building structuraly sound.

Conclusion

1.    You described a career related to civil engineering and/or architecture. Is this the career field that you are currently most interested in at this stage in your life?

No. I would be more interested in other types such as Enviromental Engineering.

2.    Rank and describe the three most important characteristics that you value in choosing a post-secondary school.
1. They have to be well recognized so when I apply for a job it is easy to be accepted.
2. The school has to teach it well so I know what I am doing when I am in the field.
3. The teachers have to be involved and willing to make us our best.

3.    Rank the following in the order of importance to you regarding a career: job satisfaction; salary; making a difference; level of responsibility; titles; benefits; hours; co-workers; supervisors.  How will a career in civil engineering or architecture satisfy the factor that you ranked highest?
1. Job satisfaction
2. Salary
3. Hours
4. Supervisors
5. Co-workers
6. Level of responsibility
7. benefits
8. Making a difference
9. Titles

A career in civil engineering would satisfy my highest rank becuase I like the type of work and this satisfies me.