Engineering is currently the most popular major throughout the US and this younger generation are certainly very keen on becoming engineers, in civil, computer and aerospace engineering. My buddy Reddy Kancharla has dedicated his career to civil engineering and is widely respected in this industry. Throughout his career Reddy has worked on a wide range of structures and buildings from bridges and roadways, commercial and residential buildings and has worked as a geotechnical consultant as well. Reddy is considered by his peers as a great cvil engineer and so I wanted to pick his brain to find out what skills the very best engineers possess.
Eye For Details
The details are what makes an engineering project perfect and the very best engineers are those who are able to focus on the big picture, and those small details which make such a difference. If we think of all of the great buildings, bridges and roadway systems around the world, they all have that little detail, that little extra which makes them great, and that is what the best engineers do.
Allowing to Shine
The very best engineers are not always those who are the most creative, but those who are happy to let creativity come from anywhere, and give it life. For example Reddy told me that he was working on the biggest project of his life some 20 years ago, when a young engineer came up with bright idea, that would have give him the credit rather than Reddy. Because of the great engineer that Reddy is and because he is passionate about the industry and creation, he ran with the kid’s idea rather than his own. Civil engineers should always be focused on creating the best project that they can, and nothing more.
Team Work
Throughout his career Reddy has seen many talented engineers come and go becasue they were not prepared to work within a team setting, a crucial skill which every engineer needs in order to find success. There is no single engineer who heads up a project and this should always be a collective effort. The very best engineers have the leadership skills to run point, but also they know when to keep their ego in check and play a role from the back. This is a fine balance to strike and one which the best engineers will find a way to do.
Communication Skills
Everyone thinks that becasue they have ears and mouth that by nature they have great communication skills but this simply is not the case. In fact it is something which only the very best in this industry are able to do and it is such an important aspect fo being an engineer. Listening to what your clients want, working with teams to clearly explain the message, relaying problems and potential risks, these are all crucial parts of planning a project, which all require great communication skills.
If you want to be the best, these are the skills you need to showcase.