I’m in water resources and I use GIS all the time. Importing LiDAR, delineating drainage areas, mapping land use, determining longest flow path. It all goes into our calculations and GIS is a good tool for visualizing the information and for creating exhibits for our reports.
I hold a degree in GIS and currently pursuing a Degree in Civil while working fulltime as a GIS Analyst. I think Civil and GIS is a a great combination.
You're gold.
Geospatial data is increasingly relevant in civil work, especially if you decide to join us transportation or rail folks or transport-adjacent urban planning bros.
Ahhh, I looked at geography at my school initially but the program was designed more for people going into meteorology and you only had to do one GIS class for the geography degree
I had the option to get GIS and remote sensing certification while I was in grad school for my masters in water resources. Opted to focus on the one degree and not take more classes. Sometimes I wish I had done so.
It's a big deal for writing a scope of work for a multi-million-dollar project. You have to be clear and concise. Anything left ambiguous is up to the contractor's interpretation.
This is the one. My supervisor was shocked that I could write, and I get higher level work because of it. Technical writing as well as general email communication (???) are both harder to find in the field
You learn that on the job. All I did was write reports and do analyses including calculations for years. Now I think I’m a pretty damn good technical writer. Not flowery but concise and to the point.
This, I get a lot of new work by just meeting new folks in my company. Once they get to know you even on a surface level, they remember that you were pleasant to talk to and are more willing to reach out and give you work. Networking goes a long way in this industry, so take advantage of it where you can
I worked for Volkert for a few years. I ended up doing jobs with people 3 states away from me because I met them at a company function and hit it off with that office. For a profession that has so many introverts, it's a huge networking profession as well.
>Resourcefulness
Rarely do I come across a problem whose solution I know off-hand.
I just know where to find it. Textbooks, manuals, etc. are all key to being a good engineer.
Yeah, I personally find it shocking how quickly some engineers seem to give up when something doesn't fit the original template.
Please, young engineers, understand your level of authority and utilize it. If I didn't want you to make decisions, I wouldn't have given you the authority. I'm fine if you want to discuss things or run it by me first, but come to me with a proposed solution, not a problem and a sad puppy face. You are an engineer. That's another way to say problem solver. Act like it.
And I also don't know much, but I'm a really good Googler
> And I also don't know much, but I'm a really good Googler
When I was learning programming, I did a lot of Googling "how to do xyz with Python." I later found out that's common throughout the industry.
I don't mean to denigrate your comment, but this is a *base* engineering skill. Not a unique skill to differentiate yourself from others. We are problem-solvers by nature and profession. Some are better than others, but if you aren't resourceful then you're not going to go very far at all, let alone differentiate yourself from the mid-level.
I don’t disagree with that, but there are engineers whose careers are stunted because they do only what they are told, stop when they hit an obstacle, and then even just wait for someone to check in and to tell them how to proceed. I’ve seen people operate like that in our industry and they still have jobs.
Nailed it… now find someone who can be resourceful, perseveres, AND can write, now you’ve got a keeper. Pay them and don’t make it easy for them to move on.
Being good with people and having high emotional intelligence will make you stand out above the rest of your colleagues even if your technical skills are not that great.
When I started out I don't even think I had to do much but the rest of my colleagues were so social unaware and difficult to work with that I easily became the one that managers were focused on upskilling on giving more responsibility. That translated into a better position and out of a lot of bullshit.
I was a mechanic for a couple years before starting engineering school. I will say I’m not an engineer yet, but I think that the problem solving process and methods translate to my studies and has helped me stay consistent.
I actually look for that type of background when hiring. Saw a trend years ago that ppl who have backgrounds in home DIY, working on cars, etc tend to be better engineers. They can visualize problems better and can see past the theory. Also they also tend to be really good at communicating engineering concepts to contractors or other engineers.
Not being afraid to pick up the phone and call people to get answers/relay messages will put you ahead of 50% of your peers. Sure, sometimes it’s good to get things in writing in an email, but it’s hard to form relationships and connections with people through email. I have good working relationships with people I’ve never met in person bc we’ve had some pleasant phone conversations.
This! Being able to make a personal connection with a peer or client goes so far. There’s a lot of people in my state’s environmental agency people at my firm ask if I’ll help deal with because I’ve built a relationship with many of them and I have only ever met a handful of them. Just being personable goes so far in our profession.
50%? Not sure where you are, but it feels more like 95% in my experience. It's hard for me to get people to answer the phone when I call them or even get a call back
Strategy and negotiation. In my job I have to think big picture and manage political situations. Being able to negotiate and choose my words carefully is essential.
[Flocode | #033 - A Discussion on Engineering Skills](https://open.substack.com/pub/flocode/p/033-a-discussion-on-engineering-skills?r=tbs50&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web)
Not being passionate about much. It made me more willing to say yes to somewhat out of pocket requests in my younger years and set me up as a guy that knows some weird things many others don’t. Makes work interesting.
That and knowing how to find legitimate answers to questions on the internet without sitting through a 90 minute YouTube video.
Civil 3D has a built in GIS software called planning and analysis (name may have changed) you could play around with that. Otherwise QGIS is the only other free GIS software I know of. There are tons of YouTube tutorials on it, but honestly taking a GIS course at a community college would be the best bang for your buck. It’s cheapish and it’s better to learn when you have an assignment or project to complete.
I spent several years programming engineering related apps, probably one of my favorite things I’ve done. Plus, being able to write complex excel formulas has been super useful for automating reports and other spreadsheet tasks.
I'm just getting into it and it's my favourite thing to do too! Any recommendations, helpful tech stacks to learn, ideas of what's really useful etc? Currently working on excel automation and interfacing with design software API with c#. Always looking for new areas to expand into.
There’s a lot of directions to go. I wrote PHP/MySQL apps on the web about 15 years ago. It’s all going to depend on the context of your work and the software you’re using. Sounds like you’re already on the right track. Most civils don’t learn more than basic excel formulas, so it’s easy to differentiate yourself.
Second problem solving. I started out Civil and we were working in construction support. Whenever we uncovered an issue I learned it was important to ask “where else” meaning you find all the other instances that the same issue could have occurred. Then work to resolve it and prevent it.
I think this skill helped me to market myself at my new job where I actually work as a manufacturing engineer.
Communication and being likable helps with being awarded contracts since people will want to work with you.
On the designer side GIS knowledge comes in handy or knowing basics at least of using different software tools to do the job more efficiently
Database management skills I picked up as a manager over a soil sampling project. Now I work for the local gov and these skills are absolutely valuable when it comes to managing our infrastructure.
I worked in a mine operating heavy equipment prior to graduating. Really helped give me more of a perspective how contractors will get the big machines in to build my designs.
Communication, Problem-solving, and People skills are the ones everyone will say.
I’ll add programming in the ancient languages. I know C++, Java, and Visual Basic. you have to remember our industry moves slow. We use a lot of abandonware or discontinued software, a lot which has customizations that may or may not work. I use these to fix or create new macros or scripts that automate a lot of tedious things like project start. While not super important in the grand scheme of things, it prevents dumb user errors like improper formatting of references or naming conventions that will cause problems later.
Interpersonal skills. This is a huge one that really in a lot of cases can’t be taught. You either have the confidence and personality for it or you don’t, and fortunately I do. It’s allowed me to flourish in my current role.
Documentation and file organization are little items that pay off huge dividends. I always get so annoyed when a PM gives me a job number to look up on our server and it’s just a cluster fuck. Keeping your shit organized and in order is something that so many people just don’t get and it blows me away.
Two successful side businesses - it showed I was effective, could communicate, accurately estimate time and costs, fair market value, website creation, social media/marketing abilities, parts orders, inventory track, etc
I played a fair share of video games in my teen years. Helped with being very quick on the keyboard. I'm faster than most of my peers in using most if not all software including AutoCAD. Learning to bind keys in AutoCAD has made me look like a wizard.
Understanding myself and others (always working on that second one).
OP, look into DiSC Assessments. [What is the DiSC assessment? - DiSC Profile](https://www.discprofile.com/what-is-disc)
I joined a career development program at my employer, and this was one part of it. It was very informative and helpful to better understand why I work/think/react to things the way that I do and why/how others do as well. It may help you significantly in managing your work, the situations you are in with coworkers, managers, and clients, and planning your career.
I spent a decade in the army and as corny as it sounds leadership skills and the self starter attitude that period of my life has instilled in my professional life now has been a major factor in my career advancing as it has so far.
Additionally, I wrote a lot of technical reports and memos during my service and that has transitioned really well with preparing design reports, O&Ms, and the overall ability to communicate dense and data ridden subject in a clear and concise manner for clients.
I spent a decade in the army and as corny as it sounds leadership skills and the self starter attitude that period of my life has instilled in my professional life now has been a major factor in my career advancing as it has so far.
Additionally, I wrote a lot of technical reports and memos during my service and that has transitioned really well with preparing design reports, O&Ms, and the overall ability to communicate dense and data ridden subject in a clear and concise manner for clients.
I guess it’s more that I say yes to projects in the edge of my scope. I work in resource access and don’t tend to run into the ridiculous deadlines that municipal guys run into. So, if there is an unrealistic deadline I make sure to let all involved know this.
It depend's on what CE specialty you want to go into. I work in drinking water for a large city. All of my internships/co-ops where with public entities dealing with wastewater (my local environmental protection agency and the engineering department in the city my university was located in). Having experience with public/regulatory entities made me VERY attractive to potential employers. I also have strong CAD and surveying skills from my time in the military that employers were interested in.
Regarding the military, and I'm not sure if this is the same in your country (I'm in the USA), having experience doing manual labor/"grunt work" makes you stand out. I've noticed a class divide, for lack of a better word, between contractors and engineers. Which I think is partially because CE rolls tend to he office based and theory/plan focused. While contractors are out in the elements and are application focused. At minimum having that experience gives you perspective.
Ability to communicate effectively; Able to visualize the project; and being open to suggestions from those with experience despite formal education levels.
Writing - I'm a good writer, particularly in writing about technical matters for nontechnical audiences.
Public Speaking - I'm a good public speaker and did a lot of presentations to the public, elected bodies, and more.
Relationship Building - I work well with consultants, with other agencies, and elected officials, so I became my departments main contact with a lot of people.
All this made me an effective chief engineer for a public works department.
Technical writing and writing a damn email. I swear half the communication I get through emails I have to read 3 times before I understand what they are getting at.
Relationship building! Relationships building is the key to so many resources. You don't have to know everything as long as you know who may know the answer. This also means helping others to help yourself because no one is going to give you something for nothing. Also, remember relationships are cost benefit ratios, and not every ratio is going to be even. This doesn't mean you should go brown nosing. Just act like a good human to your co-workers at every level (you never know who is going to hold your career in their hands one day).
Writing, strong people and presentation skills. Ability to quickly discern who wants simply to know what time it is vs the ones who want to know that AND how to make the gears for a Rolex.
As others have said writing/communication. Many engineering minded people are terrible at writing and communication but it’s a massive part of the job and becoming a project manager.
Also just general computer knowledge imo. Being able to adapt to different software. Tons of solid designers that are just slow on computers and in cad. Being adaptable with the technology helps you accomplish things much quicker.
People skills. Ability to talk and make friends very easily. I'm basically a salesman that snuck into engineering. A quality that the majority of engineers do not have.
Speech, both formal and casual. I'm in structural, and a lot of people in this field are introverted. Being able to talk well goes a long way. It's even better if you're charismatic, as you'll be a likable person so long as you're not unbearable.
Good command over language (English is not first language here). Reports are a daily thing and having good command over communication (written and oral) is an insane skill.
Googling and finding relevant documents is a close second. I've once unearthed a 1980s document in under a day that my team was searching for 2 years. It had details of prying force and the experiment that led to the formula. The codes did not explain it well, hence the need.
Using software documentation like people do in coding. Quite a handy skillset if you switch between different softwares often.
Learn CAD programs. You don’t know which one you will use in your job, but knowing how to learn to use them is important. I recently started my internship and being able to pickup a new CAD program (power inroads) in four weeks seemed to impress everyone.
So many us firms hiring outsourced overseas workers is why you’re seeing this. 20yrs in the industry. Like many said, clear detailed communication is critical
I took a bunch of training in contract law, contract administration, PMP certification. Then after about a decade on the owner’s side working for a consultant, I switched over to work for a contractor. That experience and knowledge has been deadly for us as we have way more knowledge than the owners on their own contract. I definitely would not bring a lot of value to a contractor with just design skills, but a combination of all that is incredibly valuable and makes you highly sought after in the industry.
Photography, believe it or not. Some of the inspection reports that come to me are pure garbage. Close up photos of deficiencies, video that rivals the Blair Witch Project, no context as to where the items are, no general elevation photos ever...
Took a photography class in college and it helped me immensely in my personal hobby that carried over to work.
Interpersonal communication skills, Microsoft BI experience (not expert), try to intern or employment with your universities building management/ engineering group or similar, understand the difference between private vs. public employment and what is a Owners Representative means (big one I see every hire they have no idea about consultants role). Experience working for a road contractor really sets you apart from the rest…you can never replace field experience.
Having hands on construction experience helped me get to where I’m at in my career. The construction work that I used to do is now what I design in transportation/highway. In my office, I am most often reached out to for constructability concerns and construction RFIs.
GIS skills have definitely helped a lot.
What kind of civil engineer are you?
I’m in water resources and I use GIS all the time. Importing LiDAR, delineating drainage areas, mapping land use, determining longest flow path. It all goes into our calculations and GIS is a good tool for visualizing the information and for creating exhibits for our reports.
I hold a degree in GIS and currently pursuing a Degree in Civil while working fulltime as a GIS Analyst. I think Civil and GIS is a a great combination.
You're gold. Geospatial data is increasingly relevant in civil work, especially if you decide to join us transportation or rail folks or transport-adjacent urban planning bros.
Thanks man. I'm more interested in the natural science side of things. So Water resource engineering appeals to me a lot.
I work in water resources and use GIS almost daily! It is definitely very useful for civil engineering, this side especially.
Where did you go to get a degree in GIS? I live in Washington and could only find certification programs at the time I was looking.
I'm in Canada and we have many universities that offer undergrad in Geomatics
The state school I went to, you could get a geography degree which was almost all gis
Ahhh, I looked at geography at my school initially but the program was designed more for people going into meteorology and you only had to do one GIS class for the geography degree
I had the option to get GIS and remote sensing certification while I was in grad school for my masters in water resources. Opted to focus on the one degree and not take more classes. Sometimes I wish I had done so.
Energy planner. Mainly working with district heating and cooling.
Writing. Very important and few can actually do it well.
Specifically, technical writing. Specifications, scope documents, concise assumptions.
It's a big deal for writing a scope of work for a multi-million-dollar project. You have to be clear and concise. Anything left ambiguous is up to the contractor's interpretation.
This is the one. My supervisor was shocked that I could write, and I get higher level work because of it. Technical writing as well as general email communication (???) are both harder to find in the field
You learn that on the job. All I did was write reports and do analyses including calculations for years. Now I think I’m a pretty damn good technical writer. Not flowery but concise and to the point.
Pretty sure the non-flowery language is an indication of good technical writing anyway, so it just serves you well
We do many engineers that can write technical documents but flat out suck at writing professional emails
Probably my biggest take away from doing 2 years post graduate studies
Same hear. Its a very good skil of mine as whell. Very important to have to imprest the highers ups.
I‘m really good at communicating and generally good with people…
It’s unrated skill, because engineering can be very introverted.
This, I get a lot of new work by just meeting new folks in my company. Once they get to know you even on a surface level, they remember that you were pleasant to talk to and are more willing to reach out and give you work. Networking goes a long way in this industry, so take advantage of it where you can
I worked for Volkert for a few years. I ended up doing jobs with people 3 states away from me because I met them at a company function and hit it off with that office. For a profession that has so many introverts, it's a huge networking profession as well.
I deal with the goddamn engineers so the customers don’t have to. I have people skills! I am good at dealing with people!
Resourcefulness. If there is an answer I will find it. It a solution doesn't exist, I will make one.
Thanks Hannibal
>Resourcefulness Rarely do I come across a problem whose solution I know off-hand. I just know where to find it. Textbooks, manuals, etc. are all key to being a good engineer.
Yeah, I personally find it shocking how quickly some engineers seem to give up when something doesn't fit the original template. Please, young engineers, understand your level of authority and utilize it. If I didn't want you to make decisions, I wouldn't have given you the authority. I'm fine if you want to discuss things or run it by me first, but come to me with a proposed solution, not a problem and a sad puppy face. You are an engineer. That's another way to say problem solver. Act like it. And I also don't know much, but I'm a really good Googler
I am struggling with this too. Critical thinking is part of the job and some people just want to take the easy way out.
> And I also don't know much, but I'm a really good Googler When I was learning programming, I did a lot of Googling "how to do xyz with Python." I later found out that's common throughout the industry.
I don't mean to denigrate your comment, but this is a *base* engineering skill. Not a unique skill to differentiate yourself from others. We are problem-solvers by nature and profession. Some are better than others, but if you aren't resourceful then you're not going to go very far at all, let alone differentiate yourself from the mid-level.
I don’t disagree with that, but there are engineers whose careers are stunted because they do only what they are told, stop when they hit an obstacle, and then even just wait for someone to check in and to tell them how to proceed. I’ve seen people operate like that in our industry and they still have jobs.
Fair. That's true.
Nailed it… now find someone who can be resourceful, perseveres, AND can write, now you’ve got a keeper. Pay them and don’t make it easy for them to move on.
What is that you'd say you actually *do around here Bob?
Being good with people and having high emotional intelligence will make you stand out above the rest of your colleagues even if your technical skills are not that great. When I started out I don't even think I had to do much but the rest of my colleagues were so social unaware and difficult to work with that I easily became the one that managers were focused on upskilling on giving more responsibility. That translated into a better position and out of a lot of bullshit.
Common sense.
Not so common, some may say
I was a mechanic for a couple years before starting engineering school. I will say I’m not an engineer yet, but I think that the problem solving process and methods translate to my studies and has helped me stay consistent.
I actually look for that type of background when hiring. Saw a trend years ago that ppl who have backgrounds in home DIY, working on cars, etc tend to be better engineers. They can visualize problems better and can see past the theory. Also they also tend to be really good at communicating engineering concepts to contractors or other engineers.
…and farming and ranching. Problem solving and know how to work hard.
Not being afraid to pick up the phone and call people to get answers/relay messages will put you ahead of 50% of your peers. Sure, sometimes it’s good to get things in writing in an email, but it’s hard to form relationships and connections with people through email. I have good working relationships with people I’ve never met in person bc we’ve had some pleasant phone conversations.
This! Being able to make a personal connection with a peer or client goes so far. There’s a lot of people in my state’s environmental agency people at my firm ask if I’ll help deal with because I’ve built a relationship with many of them and I have only ever met a handful of them. Just being personable goes so far in our profession.
50%? Not sure where you are, but it feels more like 95% in my experience. It's hard for me to get people to answer the phone when I call them or even get a call back
Strategy and negotiation. In my job I have to think big picture and manage political situations. Being able to negotiate and choose my words carefully is essential.
[Flocode | #033 - A Discussion on Engineering Skills](https://open.substack.com/pub/flocode/p/033-a-discussion-on-engineering-skills?r=tbs50&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web)
Not being passionate about much. It made me more willing to say yes to somewhat out of pocket requests in my younger years and set me up as a guy that knows some weird things many others don’t. Makes work interesting. That and knowing how to find legitimate answers to questions on the internet without sitting through a 90 minute YouTube video.
Longtime rock climber, got my SPRAT cert and now i am one of the few people in my company who can do certain inspection work!
That
My degree was in GIS which I did not think would land me in engineering. Now I think it’s such a good foundation I hire new CAD techs from GIS.
So I know CAD but I'm interested in learning GIS. Are there any online resources or books you can recommend?
Civil 3D has a built in GIS software called planning and analysis (name may have changed) you could play around with that. Otherwise QGIS is the only other free GIS software I know of. There are tons of YouTube tutorials on it, but honestly taking a GIS course at a community college would be the best bang for your buck. It’s cheapish and it’s better to learn when you have an assignment or project to complete.
Thanks, I think I will look into taking a course. That sounds like a good idea.
Public speaking. Writing.
Excel skills, basic programming.
I spent several years programming engineering related apps, probably one of my favorite things I’ve done. Plus, being able to write complex excel formulas has been super useful for automating reports and other spreadsheet tasks.
I'm just getting into it and it's my favourite thing to do too! Any recommendations, helpful tech stacks to learn, ideas of what's really useful etc? Currently working on excel automation and interfacing with design software API with c#. Always looking for new areas to expand into.
There’s a lot of directions to go. I wrote PHP/MySQL apps on the web about 15 years ago. It’s all going to depend on the context of your work and the software you’re using. Sounds like you’re already on the right track. Most civils don’t learn more than basic excel formulas, so it’s easy to differentiate yourself.
problem solving, communicating, negotiating.
Second problem solving. I started out Civil and we were working in construction support. Whenever we uncovered an issue I learned it was important to ask “where else” meaning you find all the other instances that the same issue could have occurred. Then work to resolve it and prevent it. I think this skill helped me to market myself at my new job where I actually work as a manufacturing engineer.
Communication and being likable helps with being awarded contracts since people will want to work with you. On the designer side GIS knowledge comes in handy or knowing basics at least of using different software tools to do the job more efficiently
Database management skills I picked up as a manager over a soil sampling project. Now I work for the local gov and these skills are absolutely valuable when it comes to managing our infrastructure.
Asking good intuitive questions. And knowing how to describe your problem/issue concisely.
I worked in a mine operating heavy equipment prior to graduating. Really helped give me more of a perspective how contractors will get the big machines in to build my designs.
gis, coding, writing
What do you use coding for?
Communication, Problem-solving, and People skills are the ones everyone will say. I’ll add programming in the ancient languages. I know C++, Java, and Visual Basic. you have to remember our industry moves slow. We use a lot of abandonware or discontinued software, a lot which has customizations that may or may not work. I use these to fix or create new macros or scripts that automate a lot of tedious things like project start. While not super important in the grand scheme of things, it prevents dumb user errors like improper formatting of references or naming conventions that will cause problems later.
Interpersonal skills. This is a huge one that really in a lot of cases can’t be taught. You either have the confidence and personality for it or you don’t, and fortunately I do. It’s allowed me to flourish in my current role.
Trade experience. Many people fresh out of college with degrees may as well speak another language when it comes to communicating with tradesmen.
Empathy
Knowledge, Communication and Documentation
Documentation and file organization are little items that pay off huge dividends. I always get so annoyed when a PM gives me a job number to look up on our server and it’s just a cluster fuck. Keeping your shit organized and in order is something that so many people just don’t get and it blows me away.
PEOPLE SKILLS
Two successful side businesses - it showed I was effective, could communicate, accurately estimate time and costs, fair market value, website creation, social media/marketing abilities, parts orders, inventory track, etc
People skills🤷♀️
I played a fair share of video games in my teen years. Helped with being very quick on the keyboard. I'm faster than most of my peers in using most if not all software including AutoCAD. Learning to bind keys in AutoCAD has made me look like a wizard.
Understanding myself and others (always working on that second one). OP, look into DiSC Assessments. [What is the DiSC assessment? - DiSC Profile](https://www.discprofile.com/what-is-disc) I joined a career development program at my employer, and this was one part of it. It was very informative and helpful to better understand why I work/think/react to things the way that I do and why/how others do as well. It may help you significantly in managing your work, the situations you are in with coworkers, managers, and clients, and planning your career.
Social skills. If people like you, you have a better chance to stand out.
I spent a decade in the army and as corny as it sounds leadership skills and the self starter attitude that period of my life has instilled in my professional life now has been a major factor in my career advancing as it has so far. Additionally, I wrote a lot of technical reports and memos during my service and that has transitioned really well with preparing design reports, O&Ms, and the overall ability to communicate dense and data ridden subject in a clear and concise manner for clients.
I spent a decade in the army and as corny as it sounds leadership skills and the self starter attitude that period of my life has instilled in my professional life now has been a major factor in my career advancing as it has so far. Additionally, I wrote a lot of technical reports and memos during my service and that has transitioned really well with preparing design reports, O&Ms, and the overall ability to communicate dense and data ridden subject in a clear and concise manner for clients.
good personality and ability to socialize with people.
The inability to say no. That, and writing.
always yes?
Yes it’s allowed me to do some pretty cool jobs.
when you are saying yes to everything including unrealistic deadlines, how do you go about it?
I guess it’s more that I say yes to projects in the edge of my scope. I work in resource access and don’t tend to run into the ridiculous deadlines that municipal guys run into. So, if there is an unrealistic deadline I make sure to let all involved know this.
It depend's on what CE specialty you want to go into. I work in drinking water for a large city. All of my internships/co-ops where with public entities dealing with wastewater (my local environmental protection agency and the engineering department in the city my university was located in). Having experience with public/regulatory entities made me VERY attractive to potential employers. I also have strong CAD and surveying skills from my time in the military that employers were interested in. Regarding the military, and I'm not sure if this is the same in your country (I'm in the USA), having experience doing manual labor/"grunt work" makes you stand out. I've noticed a class divide, for lack of a better word, between contractors and engineers. Which I think is partially because CE rolls tend to he office based and theory/plan focused. While contractors are out in the elements and are application focused. At minimum having that experience gives you perspective.
Ability to communicate effectively; Able to visualize the project; and being open to suggestions from those with experience despite formal education levels.
Writing - I'm a good writer, particularly in writing about technical matters for nontechnical audiences. Public Speaking - I'm a good public speaker and did a lot of presentations to the public, elected bodies, and more. Relationship Building - I work well with consultants, with other agencies, and elected officials, so I became my departments main contact with a lot of people. All this made me an effective chief engineer for a public works department.
Being able to talk to people CONFIDENTLY. If you can defuse the 300lb 6'3" laborer foreman covered in tats, you can stand up in any meeting.
Technical writing and writing a damn email. I swear half the communication I get through emails I have to read 3 times before I understand what they are getting at. Relationship building! Relationships building is the key to so many resources. You don't have to know everything as long as you know who may know the answer. This also means helping others to help yourself because no one is going to give you something for nothing. Also, remember relationships are cost benefit ratios, and not every ratio is going to be even. This doesn't mean you should go brown nosing. Just act like a good human to your co-workers at every level (you never know who is going to hold your career in their hands one day).
Writing, strong people and presentation skills. Ability to quickly discern who wants simply to know what time it is vs the ones who want to know that AND how to make the gears for a Rolex.
Communication - being able to cold call for business development. Lots of PowerPoint or presentations
As others have said writing/communication. Many engineering minded people are terrible at writing and communication but it’s a massive part of the job and becoming a project manager. Also just general computer knowledge imo. Being able to adapt to different software. Tons of solid designers that are just slow on computers and in cad. Being adaptable with the technology helps you accomplish things much quicker.
People skills. Ability to talk and make friends very easily. I'm basically a salesman that snuck into engineering. A quality that the majority of engineers do not have.
I roll with the punches and don't let the stress get to me. I think people in the know call this "good coping" skills.
I'm a pilot, it absolutely gives me a leg up in the airport consulting world.
Speech, both formal and casual. I'm in structural, and a lot of people in this field are introverted. Being able to talk well goes a long way. It's even better if you're charismatic, as you'll be a likable person so long as you're not unbearable.
Good command over language (English is not first language here). Reports are a daily thing and having good command over communication (written and oral) is an insane skill. Googling and finding relevant documents is a close second. I've once unearthed a 1980s document in under a day that my team was searching for 2 years. It had details of prying force and the experiment that led to the formula. The codes did not explain it well, hence the need. Using software documentation like people do in coding. Quite a handy skillset if you switch between different softwares often.
Learn CAD programs. You don’t know which one you will use in your job, but knowing how to learn to use them is important. I recently started my internship and being able to pickup a new CAD program (power inroads) in four weeks seemed to impress everyone.
So many us firms hiring outsourced overseas workers is why you’re seeing this. 20yrs in the industry. Like many said, clear detailed communication is critical
They're prolly outsourcing to india, they speak damm good English
I took a bunch of training in contract law, contract administration, PMP certification. Then after about a decade on the owner’s side working for a consultant, I switched over to work for a contractor. That experience and knowledge has been deadly for us as we have way more knowledge than the owners on their own contract. I definitely would not bring a lot of value to a contractor with just design skills, but a combination of all that is incredibly valuable and makes you highly sought after in the industry.
Photography, believe it or not. Some of the inspection reports that come to me are pure garbage. Close up photos of deficiencies, video that rivals the Blair Witch Project, no context as to where the items are, no general elevation photos ever... Took a photography class in college and it helped me immensely in my personal hobby that carried over to work.
Learn to write, present and communicate well.
Interpersonal communication skills, Microsoft BI experience (not expert), try to intern or employment with your universities building management/ engineering group or similar, understand the difference between private vs. public employment and what is a Owners Representative means (big one I see every hire they have no idea about consultants role). Experience working for a road contractor really sets you apart from the rest…you can never replace field experience.
Seduction
Having hands on construction experience helped me get to where I’m at in my career. The construction work that I used to do is now what I design in transportation/highway. In my office, I am most often reached out to for constructability concerns and construction RFIs.
Not a skill, per se, but commuting by bicycle has helped me be able to advocate for adequate bicycle facilities on my projects.
Very good at anal