Bridge Engineer vs. Land Development Engineer Career Guidance
Bridge Engineer vs. Land Development Engineer Career Guidance
(OP)
Hi,
I have been a bridge engineer for about 6 months now at my firm and for a short time at a previous employer. Now that I am working in a multi-disciplinary environment, I'm finding that my interests are broadening rather than being focused on one thing (bridges) as before. I've been thinking lately about how different, easier, etc.. it would be to change specialties (if even possible) and work in general civil/site/land development. A good friend of mine works in land development so I hear things from that end of the field too and it appears interesting as well. But I know at some point, we have to pick one area and stick to it as it probably gets harder to do so as time goes on. I feel like I need to stay in the discipline I'm in for a good couple of years to really test it out and also for the sake of not having a bad looking resume which already looks like job jumping due to trying to find my path since college. I know no one field is perfect and there will always be hard days. Any guidance or thoughts on these ideas are greatly welcome. Thank you.
I have been a bridge engineer for about 6 months now at my firm and for a short time at a previous employer. Now that I am working in a multi-disciplinary environment, I'm finding that my interests are broadening rather than being focused on one thing (bridges) as before. I've been thinking lately about how different, easier, etc.. it would be to change specialties (if even possible) and work in general civil/site/land development. A good friend of mine works in land development so I hear things from that end of the field too and it appears interesting as well. But I know at some point, we have to pick one area and stick to it as it probably gets harder to do so as time goes on. I feel like I need to stay in the discipline I'm in for a good couple of years to really test it out and also for the sake of not having a bad looking resume which already looks like job jumping due to trying to find my path since college. I know no one field is perfect and there will always be hard days. Any guidance or thoughts on these ideas are greatly welcome. Thank you.





RE: Bridge Engineer vs. Land Development Engineer Career Guidance
When everyone got laid off 2008-2010, the only jobs around were for niche engineers: bridges, highways, wastewater, etc ....
So what I'm saying is .... I think it would be beneficial for you to stay where you, so you have a decent amount of experience if you ever need to go back to it.
RE: Bridge Engineer vs. Land Development Engineer Career Guidance
If you do something you enjoy doing you will be better at it and probably ultimately more successful. I would not stay in bridge engineering just because of the potential job security. It will only get harder to make the jump to LD as you get more entrenched in your current specialty.
RE: Bridge Engineer vs. Land Development Engineer Career Guidance
Signed,
a guy who's making a lot of money in LD right now
Hydrology, Drainage Analysis, Flood Studies, and Complex Stormwater Litigation for Atlanta and the South East - http://www.campbellcivil.com
RE: Bridge Engineer vs. Land Development Engineer Career Guidance
RE: Bridge Engineer vs. Land Development Engineer Career Guidance
And "LD" includes a very broad spectrum of civil engineering and not all jobs are dependent on the ebb and flow of true land development. The type of job you have and company you work for, their client base and diversity, will ultimately determine how exposed you are to housing/development recessions, etc. There are also plenty of secure jobs on the regulatory side of LD.
So when you making the jump?
RE: Bridge Engineer vs. Land Development Engineer Career Guidance
It seems that the LD people are just working off the inventory of crashed and burned projects from the recession and have not really started anything new.
Probably more important is the company and people that you are working for.
RE: Bridge Engineer vs. Land Development Engineer Career Guidance
And then it will be terrible again, like clockwork. :)
The really interesting thing about LD related engineering in the southeast right now is the companies themselves have a generation gap. They're hiring new college grads, and there's nobody they can look up to in production, since their bosses are project managers in their 40s who survived the purge. The generation between the two groups were all starved out in 09 and switched careers.
Hydrology, Drainage Analysis, Flood Studies, and Complex Stormwater Litigation for Atlanta and the South East - http://www.campbellcivil.com
RE: Bridge Engineer vs. Land Development Engineer Career Guidance
RE: Bridge Engineer vs. Land Development Engineer Career Guidance
Richard A. Cornelius, P.E.
WWW.amlinereast.com
RE: Bridge Engineer vs. Land Development Engineer Career Guidance
B+W Engineering and Design | Los Angeles Civil Engineer and Structural Engineer http://bwengr.com
RE: Bridge Engineer vs. Land Development Engineer Career Guidance
RE: Bridge Engineer vs. Land Development Engineer Career Guidance
Good luck. Can't go wrong with following your heart.
RE: Bridge Engineer vs. Land Development Engineer Career Guidance
As mentioned above, the hangup is boom/bust. Save money. Expect to be laid off in 2019, and then be pleasantly surprised if you're not. :)
Hydrology, Drainage Analysis, Flood Studies, and Complex Stormwater Litigation for Atlanta and the South East - http://www.campbellcivil.com