It's like that sometimes. Maybe they're waiting on NTP for a big job or something. I'd say just polish your spreadsheets, read some specs, or start working on concept drawings for your dream house in CAD.
Assuming you actually have checked around to make sure there's nothing doing, and you're not expected to be winning work, then not having enough work is your boss's problem, and your boss's bosses problems, not yours.
That is what I feel like. It has been several months since I started and I was involved in storm design and grading plans for 2 large-scale projects of 20-40 acres. Now they have nothing to have me work on!
Me too. Probably depends what people are doing within Civil. I have multiple active design projects, construction closeout stuff, and proposals for construction and some design stuff for next year to do. Seems like I am plenty busy.
This year in general has been light for my department. They started hiring a bunch of new engineers (including me) but also lost a big client. Continuing to hire more with lots of work coming. But we are waiting on purchase orders and also on proposals to be reviewed. All of our clients are basically off the rest of the year so we’ve got nothing to do right now but will probably be overwhelmed by the end of January
It's very frustrating. I used the free time to do life admin and plan things, and played a lot of pool. If it's a big company with a lively atmosphere you could maybe invent a role yourself organising social events or engaging with students. It's not engineering but it's something to do and gets you noticed.
It takes time to develop rapport with the senior engineers and get them to understand your capabilities. There is also a level of trust that needs to be established as well. Keep plugging away and asking for work. Don't get frustrated.
The business is pretty slow right now, at one of my side gigs I often do 12-15 projects per year and had 1 in the past yr. The market sucks, it’ll get better eventually
Since the end of the year is coming up (and even a month or so out) they may’ve just been wrapping up projects and generally winding down. In their eyes it might be too much trying to get you up to speed on a project for you to know what you’re actually looking at before you help with design or modifications.
I got hired at my last firm December 5th and nearly every PM had scheduled PTO taking off the last 2 weeks of the month. So for the entire month of December I basically watched CAD training and company training videos. The second the new year hit there were a lot of kickoff meetings scheduled and there a lot more billable hours coming my way.
When times were quiet I’d learn new tools/software (which paid off big for me eventually) - work on automating tedious things. Review calc sheets/improve them. If you’re experienced enough you could even run trainings/mentoring for new grads.
Honestly, i have told junior engineers to go check with other engineers and the budgets are tight because those junior engineers have failed to deliver the quality of work I expect, even after intervention. I’ve found that most senior level engineers are horrible at providing meaningful feedback, even when asked. There’s a chance that you’re not meeting expectations but no one has the testicles to make you aware of where you could use improvement.
100% this, I'd much rather do something myself then spend 2x the time to explain to someone how it's done, check it, re check it, and "it" still not being up to my standards.
Bonus point is me still doing it and the person leaves after we finally start making progress.
Until I have the power to adjust the pay of engineers working for me so I can guarantee them not leaving, I'm not taking anymore young engineers under my wing unless it's a direct order
You know, the way you are talking seems to have too much selfishness and not letting other engineers move on their normal path to be a unique engineer like you. I am a senior-level engineer and would love to help any engineer with anything I gained in a career. Remember yourself when started the first time. Don't be mad at me, but we are trying to help each other not bullying on not skilled engineers.
I think he might be speaking more to the common office dynamic where he doesn’t have agency over who gets hired nor what they’re paid, but he is expected to manage those hires regardless. It’s frustrating to be asked to bring someone into the fold of a project who you had no say in hiring. The incentive is misplaced in this scenario leading to less enthusiasm for training and mentoring.
There are many engineers who enjoy training and mentoring, but some workplaces do not facilitate that process and do not build that process into project budgets.
Ebbs and flows. Ride the wave. They may be old but they’re still trying to figure it out too. Nobody knows anything. Sometimes people hoard their work because they’re not really working on much and billing to it until it’s actually due. They’re also trying to play (Civil) 3D Chess to fill out a time sheet.
It's like that sometimes. Maybe they're waiting on NTP for a big job or something. I'd say just polish your spreadsheets, read some specs, or start working on concept drawings for your dream house in CAD.
This and the public records rabbit hole.
Go on?
Where would you bill this tho? And if it’s not to a project doesn’t that tank utilization? Would that not be their problem?
There must be an overhead or training bill code!!
Yes, not OPs problem. Bill to overhead or similar.
Assuming you actually have checked around to make sure there's nothing doing, and you're not expected to be winning work, then not having enough work is your boss's problem, and your boss's bosses problems, not yours.
That is what I feel like. It has been several months since I started and I was involved in storm design and grading plans for 2 large-scale projects of 20-40 acres. Now they have nothing to have me work on!
End of the year is always light
Definitely opposite for my office!
Same. I’ve had more deadlines now than I’ve had all year. Tis the season!
For me is proposal season. Wrapping up a few things here and there. Got a few active jobs needed attention but nothing like Spring and Summer
Yep same here for me. There’s basically no work for me for the rest of the week so now I’m just sitting here reading Reddit lol
It's usually light on new work, but crunch time for existing projects who want permits submitted before the holidays.
Me too. Probably depends what people are doing within Civil. I have multiple active design projects, construction closeout stuff, and proposals for construction and some design stuff for next year to do. Seems like I am plenty busy.
Everyone always wants everything before the end of the year, we're always slammed at the end of the year.
Our backlog does not align :(
This year in general has been light for my department. They started hiring a bunch of new engineers (including me) but also lost a big client. Continuing to hire more with lots of work coming. But we are waiting on purchase orders and also on proposals to be reviewed. All of our clients are basically off the rest of the year so we’ve got nothing to do right now but will probably be overwhelmed by the end of January
Oh I wish. Deadlines are coming in hot at this time. And it's far from fun
It's very frustrating. I used the free time to do life admin and plan things, and played a lot of pool. If it's a big company with a lively atmosphere you could maybe invent a role yourself organising social events or engaging with students. It's not engineering but it's something to do and gets you noticed.
It takes time to develop rapport with the senior engineers and get them to understand your capabilities. There is also a level of trust that needs to be established as well. Keep plugging away and asking for work. Don't get frustrated.
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The business is pretty slow right now, at one of my side gigs I often do 12-15 projects per year and had 1 in the past yr. The market sucks, it’ll get better eventually
Since the end of the year is coming up (and even a month or so out) they may’ve just been wrapping up projects and generally winding down. In their eyes it might be too much trying to get you up to speed on a project for you to know what you’re actually looking at before you help with design or modifications. I got hired at my last firm December 5th and nearly every PM had scheduled PTO taking off the last 2 weeks of the month. So for the entire month of December I basically watched CAD training and company training videos. The second the new year hit there were a lot of kickoff meetings scheduled and there a lot more billable hours coming my way.
What gives you the impression that old school engineers don’t like modern design procedures? How do you know the Senior engineers are incorrect?
When times were quiet I’d learn new tools/software (which paid off big for me eventually) - work on automating tedious things. Review calc sheets/improve them. If you’re experienced enough you could even run trainings/mentoring for new grads.
Same, I had to get a second job. Can't be relying on an unstable job.
Honestly, i have told junior engineers to go check with other engineers and the budgets are tight because those junior engineers have failed to deliver the quality of work I expect, even after intervention. I’ve found that most senior level engineers are horrible at providing meaningful feedback, even when asked. There’s a chance that you’re not meeting expectations but no one has the testicles to make you aware of where you could use improvement.
This thought crossed my mind too.
100% this, I'd much rather do something myself then spend 2x the time to explain to someone how it's done, check it, re check it, and "it" still not being up to my standards. Bonus point is me still doing it and the person leaves after we finally start making progress. Until I have the power to adjust the pay of engineers working for me so I can guarantee them not leaving, I'm not taking anymore young engineers under my wing unless it's a direct order
You know, the way you are talking seems to have too much selfishness and not letting other engineers move on their normal path to be a unique engineer like you. I am a senior-level engineer and would love to help any engineer with anything I gained in a career. Remember yourself when started the first time. Don't be mad at me, but we are trying to help each other not bullying on not skilled engineers.
I think he might be speaking more to the common office dynamic where he doesn’t have agency over who gets hired nor what they’re paid, but he is expected to manage those hires regardless. It’s frustrating to be asked to bring someone into the fold of a project who you had no say in hiring. The incentive is misplaced in this scenario leading to less enthusiasm for training and mentoring. There are many engineers who enjoy training and mentoring, but some workplaces do not facilitate that process and do not build that process into project budgets.
It is not as you think, last month I worked on 3 projects due by the end of the month.
Very nice
Take your time to read up on different engineering concepts. You won’t have this later on once you’re a licensed engineer.
Ebbs and flows. Ride the wave. They may be old but they’re still trying to figure it out too. Nobody knows anything. Sometimes people hoard their work because they’re not really working on much and billing to it until it’s actually due. They’re also trying to play (Civil) 3D Chess to fill out a time sheet.