Career Path of an Environmental Civil Engineer at an Engineering Firm
Erik's career path began with a dual bachelor's degree in geology and civil engineering from UNC Charlotte, driven by an interest in "the natural world" and a desire for a "breadth of experience." This academic foundation was complemented by two years of internship experience at an international engineering firm focusing on water resource management, a role that required significant time management skills as Erik juggled work and classes, ultimately providing "a wonderful breadth of experience" and a strong base for their current role.
Environmental Science, Civil Engineering, Water Resource Management, Internships, Career Pivoting
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Erik Milde
Financial Consultant
Raftelis Financial Consulting
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
N/A
Engineering - Civil
Consulting & Related Professional Services, Energy & Utilities, Government & Public Sector
Finance
Disabled, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Erik pursued a dual bachelor's degree in geology and civil engineering, combining his interest in the natural world with practical engineering skills.
2. He gained valuable work experience through a two-year internship at an international engineering firm, focusing on water resource management and environmental guidelines.
3. His diverse academic and professional background demonstrates the value of combining scientific knowledge with engineering expertise in a professional setting.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path? Please start with your experiences in college, any internships, or jobs you had before your current role.
Absolutely. I started my undergraduate degree in geology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. I had lived in Charlotte most of my life, and UNCC was the perfect combination for me.
I'd always been interested in the natural world, climate, and those macro changes on a micro scale. Geology was an easy fit. Over the course of a couple of years in school, I realized that a lot of my work would involve working under an engineer.
Since UNCC has a very strong engineering program, I decided to double up. I graduated in 2020, at the start of the pandemic, with dual bachelor's degrees in civil engineering, specifically in environmental, and geology. I thought this would give me a good breadth of experience.
While still in school, I interned at a local engineering firm. They are an international firm with a Charlotte office that specialized in roadway planning. My work primarily revolved around water resources, such as getting water from point A to point B, managing it off roadways, and ensuring environmental compliance.
I did that for about two years while finishing my undergrad. This involved a balance of taking the train downtown for my internship and then back for classes. It was a bit of a juggle, but it gave me a wonderful breadth of experience.
I believe the combination of a hard science background with civil engineering provided a good mix of those two disciplines. They do differ, and I think that gave me a little more to work with.