|
|---|
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is always looking for the best new talent to join its team. With a changing economy and changing attitudes from younger generations, it becomes vital to find out
What new graduates are looking for after College
Scott Nielsen
USACE South Pacific Division
The numbers of engineering students in the United States are down compared to other modern and developing countries. Add to the problem of record numbers of engineering jobs that need qualified people, employers for government and civilian agencies are looking to find out how to attract these graduates.
To 
get this information, agencies have re-thought their recruiting efforts. New techniques such as 'Speed-networking', which operates on the premise of the speed dating model, allows multiple recruiters and students to meet for minuets and introduce themselves to talk about what each other is looking for.
More than 170 engineering students from schools around California and Nevada attended a 3-day conference in Burlingame CA, hosted by the American Society of Civil Engineer’s Construction Institute and sponsored by several agencies including the Army Corps of Engineers to meet and discuss several aspects of Civil Engineering including career opportunities.
The three-day conference featured technical sessions, major Bay Area construction project site tours, career development, and networking opportunities.
“This event was an opportunity for students to connect with construction and industry leaders to see and witness first-hand the vast opportunities that Civil Engineering has to offer,” said Larry Smith, one of the event organizers. “ASCE has learned we must change our conversation to students and to each other.”
“These events help us to better understand what graduates are looking for so we can try and tailor what we can offer them,” said Marvin Oey, Director of ASCE Construction Institute.
This conference gave the students more of a chance to ask questions that they otherwise might not because they feel intimidated walking up to a booth and asking said Oey.
This ‘speed-networking’ format allowed the students to speak with representatives from each organization. Their questions ranged from the projects being worked on to vacation time.
"When we think we know what the students are interested in, we get surprised,” said Gallegos. He said typically students are interested in traveling and the ability to work on multiple projects. “This career fair was different because most of the students we spoke to were interested in the opportunities that allowed them to stay in the Bay area.”
A large group of volunteers reached out to the students. “We got to know them on a first name basis and shared our passion for Civil Engineering, said Smith.
“Our profession is all about team work and networking - Passionate people bring passion to the workplace and the ASCE volunteers and professionals brought that passion to the students over the course of three-days.”
This was a first conference of this type for several students. “This conference gave me a good understanding of what to expect as I get closer to graduating,” said Erika Katwan, a freshman engineering student at San Jose State University. She said she wants to find a job that would allow her to go to many places and work on different projects.
“The money isn’t the most important thing I’m looking for,” she said. “I am expecting a certain wage, but I’m interested in the other things companies can offer me.”
The common questions the students asked were: where they'll be working; will they be able to do different things; and will they be in charge of their own projects.
After the speed-networking session concluded, the students visited the booths belonging to the sponsor agencies.
More than 30 students submitted applications or dropped off resumes’ after hearing about what the Corps can offer.
Louis Sacramiento, a senior from California State University in Sacramento said the ability of the corps to offer multiple opportunities in places around the globe appealed to him. “It sounds like the Corps has a better design for what I’m interested in.”
“Lessons' learned from events like this are going to help us to get these young people interested in Corps and what we do,” said Gallegeos. “It is up to us to figure out how to find out what they are looking for and show them how the Corps can deliver.”