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Aidan, Engineer In Training 1 (Construction Inspector) at RockSol Consulting Group: Advize Career Interview
Aidan's journey from Cal Poly civil engineering major to Engineer In Training 1 at RockSol Consulting Group offers a compelling look into the construction inspection field.
An internship solidified a preference for hands-on field work over office settings, leading to a career filled with daily on-site visits to diverse projects, ensuring quality and proper payment.
The work blends outdoor observation with meticulous documentation and government paperwork.
Success requires strong people skills, assertiveness, and meticulous record-keeping, while the most rewarding aspect is witnessing infrastructure built from the ground up.
Aidan emphasizes the importance of internships, immediate problem-solving, and proactively addressing mistakes.
Entry-level positions such as construction inspector and materials testing are readily available, offering a dynamic and impactful career path for those with strong organizational skills and a desire for hands-on, problem-solving work.
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Aidan McCoy
Engineer In Training 1 (Construction Inspector)
RockSol Consulting Group
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
n/a
Engineering - Civil
Construction
Real Estate
None Applicable
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Career Path of an Engineer In Training Construction Inspector at RockSol Consulting Group
Aidan's career path began with a civil engineering major at Cal Poly, an internship at a geotechnical consulting firm solidified their preference for field work over office work, leading to their current role as an Engineer In Training 1 at RockSol Consulting Group in the transportation construction industry; the internship provided "a pretty wide breadth of what they had me doing," allowing them to discover a preference for field work and ultimately influencing their career direction.
Main Responsibilities Of A Construction Inspector at RockSol Consulting Group
Aidan's role as a Construction Inspector involves daily on-site visits to highway, city road, or even national park projects, "working with the contractor...representing the owner"—often a government entity—to ensure work quality and proper payment. A significant part of the job includes "maintaining a good personal relationship with those people," while also meticulously documenting work performed for future reference and cost tracking.
A Day In The Life Of A Construction Inspector At RockSol Consulting Group
A day for Aidan as an Engineer In Training 1 (Construction Inspector) involves "bouncing around" multiple project sites, ensuring safety is the top priority, and verifying materials used align with project plans. This field work is followed by office time to meticulously review measurements and complete government paperwork, highlighting the blend of on-site observation and detailed administrative tasks inherent in the role.
Most Important Skills For A Construction Inspector At RockSol Consulting Group
Aidan, an Engineer In Training 1, emphasizes that strong "people skills" and the ability to have "tough conversations in a tactful way" are crucial for success as a construction inspector, complementing this with the necessary technical proficiency to confidently address challenges from contractors.
Favorite Parts of Being a Construction Inspector at RockSol Consulting Group
Aidan, an Engineer In Training 1 (Construction Inspector), most enjoys "being outside working in the field pretty much every single day," witnessing firsthand the construction process and interacting with diverse teams, a career path that fulfills a childhood curiosity about how things are built. The challenges presented by the work, including "working through difficult things with difficult people," further enhance Aidan's job satisfaction.
Biggest Challenges Faced By An Engineer In Training Construction Inspector At RockSol Consulting Group
Aidan's biggest challenge as an Engineer In Training 1 is managing the complexities of large projects, including "keeping track of all that and all the people," and confronting difficult individuals when necessary; this requires developing assertiveness to make "hard calls," a skill Aidan is actively refining throughout their career.
Favorite Parts Of Working In The Construction Industry As A Construction Inspector
Aidan, an Engineer In Training 1, finds the most rewarding aspect of the construction industry to be witnessing "how infrastructure, like a bridge, gets built from the ground up," a process rarely seen in its entirety. This daily involvement in building "stuff...right in front of your eyes," coupled with the industry's crucial role in shaping the world, fuels Aidan's motivation and enjoyment.
What Type Of Person Thrives In The Construction Industry, According To A Construction Inspector At RockSol Consulting Group
Aidan, an Engineer In Training 1, identifies strong organizational skills and meticulous record-keeping as crucial for success in the construction inspection industry, noting that "there's a million different pieces of paper you gotta fill out every single day." Equally important are "people skills" and the ability to "have tough conversations with tough people," demonstrating the need for strong interpersonal abilities in navigating the industry's complexities.
What a Construction Inspector at RockSol Consulting Group wishes they had known before entering the Construction industry
Aidan, an Engineer In Training 1, found the significant amount of paperwork involved in government work to be unexpected; the role required "a fair amount of having to sit down at your desk, uh, working through things like that," a contrast to their previous private sector internships. This experience highlights the difference between working in private versus public construction sectors, a key lesson for aspiring construction inspectors.
Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Construction Inspectors
Aidan, a Construction Inspector with RockSol Consulting Group, identifies "construction inspector" and "materials testing" as readily available entry-level roles, noting that many firms provide training for the latter. The inspector role, in particular, requires "boots on the ground" to document construction progress, a position Aidan considers a viable first job after college.
Significant Career Lesson From a Construction Inspector at RockSol Consulting Group
Aidan, an Engineer In Training 1, emphasizes the critical lesson of immediately addressing mistakes or issues, stating, "if you mess something up, you gotta tell somebody as soon as possible." This proactive approach, illustrated by a personal anecdote where early reporting saved significant costs, highlights the importance of accountability and preventing minor problems from escalating into larger, more costly issues in the construction field.
College Experiences That Helped An Engineer In Training At RockSol Consulting Group Succeed
Aidan's most impactful undergraduate experience was securing an internship, which "is so much more important to me than any class," because it provided invaluable real-world experience that shaped their job search and ultimately led to their current role as an Engineer In Training 1 at RockSol Consulting Group; the internship allowed Aidan to discover their passion for the field and provided a strong foundation for their career.
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