This is our thirteenth Employer Spotlight feature. Thanks to Angie Boccaccio and Bob Tipple for answering our questions! Please visit www.taikisha-group.com for further information about TKS Industrial Company. To see a pdf version of this article, including some pictures, click here: 2012-0830 TKS profile for LTU[1]

What does your company do? How does it fit into the local, national, or global economy?  TKS Industrial Company is a world class designer and builder of Paint Finishing Systems and Pollution Abatement Systems for the automotive and related industries. We are dedicated to continually providing our customers with products and services of only the highest possible quality. TKS Industrial Company was incorporated in 1981 as a subsidiary of Taikisha LTD. TKS maintains a corporate office in Troy Michigan, a fabrication shop in Columbus Ohio, subsidiaries in Mexico City, Mexico, Ontario, Canada and Sao Paulo, Brazil,  as well as many customer project sites throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Describe the roles that electrical and/or computer engineers play in the company. What kinds of opportunities do they currently have?  The technical skills and dedication of our engineers are directly linked to our ability to successfully complete complex projects for our customers. Our Engineers are typically involved in a project from the early proposal stage, into the design phase and all the way through the final construction to see concept engineering become applied reality.

Which traits, skills, and abilities do you look for in an engineer? What would an ideal job applicant bring to the table?  We believe that an integral part of our success is our excellent staff of engineers. Integrity is in the forefront of our every business endeavor. How we are perceived by our customers, suppliers and associates will determine our future. Our engineers work with a variety of internal partners as well external customers, both in the office and in the field. The ability to work well within a cross functional team and to adapt from the office environment to the field and back is key.

What does your crystal ball indicate about the future of your industry — any expectations, predictions, projections, or exciting possibilities?  As the manufacturing facilities of automakers age, TKS plays a vital role in designing and constructing new modern facilities as well as revitalizing existing facilities. We’re always looking for creative engineers to expand the application our technology outside the automotive industry as well!

Any words of advice for engineering students (about school, career, or preparation for professional life in general)?  You’re about to enter your professional life with a vast amount of knowledge. Find a company that will mentor you as you develop that knowledge into applied skills. Take the time to learn your new employer’s existing methodology and how your role affects other areas of the business, then offer your suggestions for improvements to benefit the company as a whole.

This is our twelfth Employer Spotlight feature. Thanks to Paul Dowson (Account Manager at RCO Engineering) for taking our questions. Please visit www.rcoeng.com for further information.

What does your company do? How does it fit into the local, national, or global economy?  RCO Engineering is a local Michigan product development, prototype, and low volume manufacturer supporting the automotive, aerospace, and defense industries.

Describe the roles that electrical and/or computer engineers play in the company.  What kinds of opportunities do they currently have? RCO employs a wealth of contract MSEE’s in the areas of Crash Avoidance Systems Engineering, Telematics, Infotainment, GPS Navigation, Onstar, Sync, Hybrid, High Voltage, Instrument cluster, HUD (Heads up Display), Color Display engineer, Audio, Switches, Chassis electronics (power assist shifter & presenter module), BCM’s, CAN – Campus Area Network, Controller Area; LAN – Local Area Network; WLAN – Wireless Local Area Network; WAN – Wide Area Network, Human machine interface, Functional safety engineer, Electronics DRE, Software strategist, Rear camera, Feature development, System level architecture, Power door latch systems, Energy storage systems, Battery systems, Steering electronics, Safety electronics, Suspension electronics, Write software requirements, WAVE (Wireless Access for the Vehicle Environment).  Electrical Validation Engineering, Body Control Modules.

Which traits, skills, and abilities do you look for in an engineer?  RCO searches for entry-level to seasoned engineers ranging from no-required-experience to extensive experience within their specific discipline and commodity.  Strong ability to communicate both written and verbally is preferred.  Knowledge of vehicle (automotive or aerospace) configuration and packaging a plus.

What would an ideal job applicant bring to the table?  Proactive, able to anticipate, strong planning, time management, organized, prioritization, identify key players, manufacturing process knowledge/experience.

What does your crystal ball indicate about the future of your industry — any expectations, predictions,  projections, or exciting possibilities?  Continued growth and innovation of vehicle electrical and software products, continued shortage of engineers and designers, slow economic growth, cautious spending.

Any words of advice for engineering students (about school, career, or preparation for professional life in general)? Continued growth of web and e-based courses, lifetime training and development, never stop learning. Always take advantage of employer tuition plans; employers will be making the most of their current employee base, offering more cross training opportunities.

This is our eleventh Employer Spotlight feature. Thanks to Ms Adele Dombrowski for taking our questions. Visit the company website at www.foriauto.com for more information.

What does your company do? How does it fit into the local, national, or global economy?  Fori Automation is a global supplier of assembly, testing, and welding systems to the Automotive and Non-Automotive markets.  Headquartered in Shelby Twp. Michigan, Fori Automation has facilities located in China, Korea, Germany, India, Brazil, Mexico, and Tennessee.  Our global customer base includes the OEM and tier one suppliers to aerospace, automotive, military, agriculture, and alternative energy industries.  Fori Automation is focused on satisfying our customer through highly engineered products and systems.  Fori Automation’s ability to provide turnkey design and build systems with localized support has allowed Fori to grow with our globally expanding customer’s needs.

Describe the roles that electrical and/or computer engineers play in the company. What kinds of opportunities do they currently have?  Controls Engineer: Responsibilities typically involve engineering a well-defined section of a larger project or acting as a project engineer on a small project.

Which traits, skills, and abilities do you look for in an engineer?  Looking for people who want a long-term career in engineering.  And also a Team Player.

What would an ideal job applicant bring to the table?  Experience or equivalent schooling.

What does your crystal ball indicate about the future of your industry — any expectations, predictions,  projections, or exciting possibilities?  Hopefully more opportunities outside the automotive industry.

Any words of advice for engineering students (about school, career, or preparation for professional life in general)?  Learn as much as you can in school because it will be a great tool when entering the job force.

Welcome to our tenth Employer Spotlight feature. Many thanks to Cheryl Boland for answering our questions about Technology Resource Group. For further information about the company, go to www.techrg.com.

What does your company do? How does it fit into the local, national, or global economy?  We are an engineering recruiting firm primarily specializing in electrical and software engineering roles for Tier One automotive suppliers focused on vehicle electronics and powertrain development.

Describe the roles that electrical and/or computer engineers play in the company. What kinds of opportunities do they currently have?  The types of roles we fill include applications engineers, software and hardware development, embedded and controls development, testing and verification, etc., in the areas of powertrain, vehicle electronics, ECU development, vision systems, infotainment/telematics and hardware in the loop.

Which traits, skills, and abilities do you look for in an engineer?  In additional to standard technical aptitude we look for demonstrated problem-solving ability, team and leadership experience, or hands-on, real world experience. Entry-level engineers who have had previous internships or have participated in extra-curricular engineering activities or competitions such as Formula SAE, ECOcar, etc., are given priority.

What would an ideal job applicant bring to the table?  The ideal job applicant brings not only a sound technical base but also an enthusiasm and passion for automobiles.

What does your crystal ball indicate about the future of your industry — any expectations, predictions,  projections, or exciting possibilities?  There is currently a very strong demand for software engineers in the automotive sector. This demand will continue to remain strong as vehicle technology advances and regulations (i.e., emissions standards) become more stringent.

Any words of advice for engineering students (about school, career, or preparation for professional life in general)?  Look for opportunities to go beyond academics to obtain experience and stand out against other applicants. For example, if you have a “hobby car” you enjoy working on, put that on your resume. We often have clients who ask us to find them, not only a highly-skilled electrical engineer, but one who loves cars. Having that information on your resume will put you at the top of the list.

Welcome to our ninth Employer Spotlight feature. Sincere thanks to Rick McDowell (Engineering Resource Manager) for answering our questions and supplying the picture at left. For additional information about the company, go to www.teamcomtech.com.

What does your company do?  Comtech Group is a multidisciplinary consulting firm that provides professional services in engineering, project management, project controls, and project staff augmentation. We support demanding and complex projects with full lifecycle consulting services from concept through commissioning; our professional team possesses extensive experience in supporting and delivering successful projects for public and private sector clients in the following industries: Energy, Infrastructure, Manufacturing, Mining, and Transportation.

How does it fit into the local, national, or global economy?  Comtech Group is an international company headquartered in Toronto and with its US office located in Troy, MI. Most of our local projects in Michigan and the US are automotive related, as we service most GM and Chrysler facilities. Our Toronto office is more geared towards municipal projects providing engineering and project management support for the GTA and surrounding provinces. We also support projects internationally, with team members working in Russia, China, and South America.

Describe the roles that electrical and/or computer engineers play in the company. What kinds of opportunities do they currently have?  Our teams provide solutions for our customers in the design, engineering, installation, and implementation of electrical controls, factory information systems, and facility networks. The systems operate/control their automation, processes, and tooling, and they also collect data for quality and inventory purposes. Typical responsibilities would include the following: Control Systems Architecture Design, Controls Software Specification Development, Hardware & Software Configuration, Engineering Design Review, Equipment Recommendations, and Contractor & Vendor Management. We currently have needs for entry and midlevel electrical controls engineers; these two opportunities would start out working at an automotive facility in Toledo for at least the next year to year-and-a-half. In both of these opportunities, the person will be programming PLCs, HMIs integrating new and existing tooling with the plant’s network.

We also have a need for two Project Managers with electrical controls experience. One position is located in Auburn Hills, MI, with occasional travel around Southeast MI, Northern OH, and IN. The other opportunity would be working onsite in Tonawanda, NY, for approximately one year. After that project is finished, they would move on to the next, which could be in the Detroit area or actually any location where our customers have manufacturing facilities. We try to work with our team as best as possible when it comes to travel; we rotate long-term travel assignments as much as our workload allows.

Which traits, skills, and abilities do you look for in an engineer? What would an ideal job applicant bring to the table?  A positive attitude and a willingness to learn are key traits that we look for with all employees. Willingness to travel, preferably domestic and international. Experience or knowledge of PLCs, preferably Allen Bradley or Siemens brands. Proficiency with AutoCAD. Understanding of networks/ethernet.

What does your crystal ball indicate about the future of your industry — any expectations, predictions, projections, or exciting possibilities?  In my opinion, the need for electrical controls engineers will continue to increase as our world continues to automate manufacturing processes. In the US, the only way we can complete with low international wages is to have high tech computer controlled equipment that builds things faster and at a higher quality level. All of this machinery is controlled by PLCs or PC-based control systems. As some of the international countries continue to advance, they will also be implementing advanced manufacturing equipment; this will further the demand for electrical and computer controlled expertise.

Any words of advice for engineering students (about school, career, or preparation for professional life in general)?  Adopt a strong work ethic, don’t procrastinate, arrive early and stay late, volunteer for tough assignments, learn to work with your project teammates and develop your people/personal skills. Take advantage of internships or co-ops, dive in and get your hands dirty; this experience is invaluable, and it will also expand your professional network.

This is our eighth Employer Spotlight feature. Many thanks to Peter Maurer (Director of Sales) for taking our questions. Visit www.galco.com for further information about the company.

What does your company do? How does it fit into the local, national, or global economy?  Galco Industrial Electronics is a multi-division electronics company providing sales of industrial control products, repair services including field service, and engineered systems. We fit into the local economy as a growing company who has added 25 new employees over the past months. Our clients include global manufacurers such as Eaton, Siemens, ABB, and Emerson (Control Techniques). We also sell and service locally and nationally manufactured industrial electronics including over 150 brands. We are the local sales organization for these manufacturers.

Describe the roles that electrical and/or computer engineers play in the company. What kinds of opportunities do they currently have?  Our Engineering staff design automation control systems, system upgrades, and CNC retrofit packages for our customers. They also provide hands-on start-up and commissioning for their projects.  Opportunities include Assistant Project Manager, Project Manager, Engineering Manager.

Which traits, skills, and abilities do you look for in an engineer?  CAD, industry experience, hands-on experience. Knowledge of PLC and CNC programming.

What would an ideal job applicant bring to the table?  Has worked in the electronics industry for 5 years or more, working on or completed EE degree, communicates well.

What does your crystal ball indicate about the future of your industry — any expectations, predictions, projections, or exciting possibilities?  Dynamic changes happening around electrical power generation, alternate energy, industrial automation and control. I believe we do not know now what may be the new standard 5 years from now with regards to how we manage information.

Any words of advice for engineering students (about school, career, or preparation for professional life in general)?  Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. Get what you want from your network – you know somebody that knows somebody that will get you to where you want to go.

This is our seventh Employer Spotlight. Thanks to Sanjay Guha for responding to our questions. Please visit www.pegasyssoft.com for more information.

What does your company do? How does it fit into the local, national, or global economy?  Pegasys is a software development and IT consulting company providing IT services to our clients around the globe.

Describe the roles that electrical and/or computer engineers play in the company. What kinds of opportunities do they currently have?  They gather, analyze, and interpret functional specifications and user requirements; design appropriate software solutions, including logical/physical database structures and entity-relationship diagramming; develop and code system features, including user interfaces and internet/intranet functionality; test and troubleshoot new and existing software systems; integrate new software and enhancements into existing systems.

Which traits, skills, and abilities do you look for in an engineer?  We look for dynamic individuals with analytical skills and readiness to adapt to new technologies and changing  client and market requirements.

What would an ideal job applicant bring to the table?  A strong educational profile and a strong performance in the interview.

This is the sixth article in our Employer Spotlight series. Thanks to Markus Remm for responding to our questions! Be sure to visit www.jenoptik.us for more information on the company.

What does your company do? How does it fit into the local, national, or global economy?  We are building custom laser machines for the automotive and photovoltaic industry. Our laser systems are used by all of the big 3 as well as most major car manufacturers with production plants in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa.

Describe the roles that electrical and/or computer engineers play in the company. What kinds of opportunities do they currently have?  Electrical and Software design is a key component of the machines’ flexibility. Engineers with a background in these fields are very important for the success of our company. Every modification on the machine will require additions to the PLC program or changes in the electrical drawings.

Which traits, skills, and abilities do you look for in an engineer?  Mechatronical and Electrical engineers are the most wanted engineers in our company in the moment. We are looking for colleagues with a view for detail, flexible work habits, and a passion for hands-on work.

What would an ideal job applicant bring to the table?  Willingness to travel, flexibility, additional knowledge in PLC and robotics.

What does your crystal ball indicate about the future of your industry — any expectations, predictions,  projections, or exciting possibilities?  We are planning to increase our US presence to be able to build more machines here, service our customers even better, and open new opportunities. All this requires support from electrical and software engineering.

Any words of advice for engineering students (about school, career, or preparation for professional life in general)?  Show interest in all fields of engineering. Thinking outside the box opens new ways to solving a problem. Applying solutions from other problems to your problem guarantees a fast turnaround time. Don’t reinvent the wheel if you don’t have to. Always look at multiple approaches before you start a project.

This is the fifth in our Employer Spotlight series. Thanks to Davian Larente (Electrical / Software Engineering Manager, Marquardt Switches) for fielding our questions. For more information, go to www.switches.com.

What does your company do? How does it fit into the local, national, or global economy?  Automotive electronics. We operate in Germany, Romania, USA, China, and India. Engineers for one project routinely exist in one of the listed countries. We develop globally.

Describe the roles that electrical and/or computer engineers play in the company. What kinds of opportunities do they currently have?  Develop embedded systems for automotive products. Products involve mechanical, electrical, and software engineering. We use 8, 16 and 32 bit embedded controllers. Mechanical designs include Class-A surfaces and are fairly complex to develop in the typical 15 month development cycle.

Which traits, skills, and abilities do you look for in an engineer?  Outside the box thinking. Ability to understand complex interfaces (software to electrical, electrical to mechanical). Solid basic knowledge of the respective areas of expertise.

What would an ideal job applicant bring to the table?  Desire to learn and work in a global development environment.

What does your crystal ball indicate about the future of your industry — any expectations, predictions,  projections, or exciting possibilities?  Continued growth with shorter development cycles and more attention to cost and quality.

Any words of advice for engineering students (about school, career, or preparation for professional life in general)?  If you are a software major, learn electronics as secondary with mechanical design and production awareness. Too many software engineers struggle in automotive because they have no electrical theory background which prevents basic troubleshooting. If you are a electrical major, you cannot get by anymore without software experience in at least the C programming language with 8 Bit controllers. Know mechanical design and production awareness. If software and electrical is your major, put your hands on real components. Do not think you can learn electronics just using pspice, Matlab and a calculator. You must touch real parts and make real products to really see what can go wrong. You will stand out if you’re not learning on your first job. Know what CAN, LIN both on physical and software level if in the automotive industry. Take a leadership course, working global needs leaders at all levels. Understand the difference between a leader and a manager.

This is the fourth in our Employer Spotlight series. Thanks to Jamie Delemeester (College Recruiter at Compuware Corporation) for answering our questions! For more information, click on www.compuware.com.

What does your company do? How does it fit into the local, national, or global economy?  For nearly 40 years, Compuware has delivered software, experts, and best practices to make your applications work well and deliver business value. Our people and software ensure that critical technologies work like they should — all the time — for 7,100 customers around the globe. When technology performance really matters — and it matters now more than ever — organizations, including 46 of the top 50 Fortune 500 companies and 12 of the 20 most visited U.S. web sites, turn to Compuware. Compuware is globally headquartered in Detroit, MI, where the majority of our employees work. However, we have offices throughout the United States and are in 74 countries globally.

Describe the roles that electrical and/or computer engineers play in the company. What kinds of opportunities do they currently have?  Compuware is a technology company; 80% of our organization is employees that are working in software development, QA, Delivery, Technical Sales, Strategy, etc. We have a strong career path within the organization to move into many different roles and have a varied career within one organization.

Which traits, skills, and abilities do you look for in an engineer?  We are typically looking for candidates with a strong technical backgrounds and passion for technology. They must love what they do, be flexible to learn new things and challenge themselves. We are also looking for someone that is secure in their opinions and abilities, can be heard in a group, and a great team player.

What would an ideal job applicant bring to the table?  The ideal candidate would have a proven passion for technology; whether they have developed applications in their spare time, or joined groups/associations to continue learning outside of the class. They may have possibly done an internship or two. They need to be confident and sure of themselves.

What does your crystal ball indicate about the future of your industry — any expectations, predictions,  projections, or exciting possibilities?  In industry today new technologies are offering incredible potential for our customers: revenue growth, improved customer satisfaction, and stronger brand image. However, these innovations can also make technology environments more complex. To reach its full potential, technology must be easy to use. And it must perform – this is core to our company and because of this we are seeing break out growth.

Any words of advice for engineering students (about school, career, or preparation for professional life in general)?  Get involved. Push yourself outside of your comfort zone.

This is the third in our Employer Spotlight series. Thanks to Mr Diego Calvo for answering our questions. For more information, check www.futuretechnologies.com.

What does your company do? How does it fit into the local, national, or global economy?  Future Technologies was founded almost 25 years ago to provide engineered solutions for production testing, automation, and welding applications. Guiding principles which are core to our  business philosophy include (1) providing the highest value possible to our customers, (2) focusing upon simplicity and robustness of design, (3) maintaining a world class service reputation “after the sale”, and (4) attention to our own financial strength and stability. Our core capability is the design and build of Leak Testing Automation, primarily for the Automotive and Air Conditioning Industries. We have commissioned innovative machine tool solutions in USA, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Describe the roles that electrical and/or computer engineers play in the company. What kinds of opportunities do they currently have?  Future Technologies relies on electrical engineers to design programmable control (PLC) based machines. The electrical engineers are in charge of electrical, pneumatic and hydraulic circuit design. They also are in charge of writing PLC logic and network communication code.

Which traits, skills, and abilities do you look for in an engineer?  Our personnel are self motivated and work with minor supervision. Responsibilities include automation controls design, pneumatic design, selection and specification of components, operator interface panel design, software, programming, safety elements, network communications, debugging of machines, writing of technical reports, and acting as a technical liaison with the customer. Strong math, programming, technical writing, and public relations skills are a must. Must be familiar with Allen Bradley, Siemens, GE, Omron, etc. PLC’s. Candidate must also be familiar with industrial communication protocols (i.e., GM’s FlexNet, Ethernet, Devicenet, Profibus, etc.) and proficiency in AutoCad is required. Successful candidate will also be skillful in interpreting and following industry and customer specifications.

What would an ideal job applicant bring to the table?  Solutions and profit.

What does your crystal ball indicate about the future of your industry — any expectations, predictions,  projections, or exciting possibilities?  Increased competition from overseas, requiring dedicated work and innovative approaches.

Any words of advice for engineering students (about school, career, or preparation for professional life in general)?  Get some real-world hands-on experience.

This is the second in our Employer Spotlight series. Thanks to Donna M. Melonio (Director, Administrative Services) for answering our questions and providing the accompanying picture, which shows DHTE’s last prototype truck, a 400 ton ultra-class haul truck, used in open pit mining situations. For more information, go to www.dhtellc.com.

What does your company do? How does it fit into the local, national, or global economy?  We are a design and engineering firm, specializing in mining equipment and off-highway vehicles for sale on a global scale. We try to hire local talent, bringing high-tech jobs to the Novi and surrounding area. We promote using local businesses whenever possible. We have a sales office in Gillette Wyoming. Our vehicles are generally manufactured in China at this time, for use throughout Asia. Some will eventually be shipped to North America.

Describe the roles that electrical and/or computer engineers play in the company. What kinds of opportunities do they currently have?  Electrical and computer engineers play a key role in all of our vehicles. Some of our vehicles are electromechanical drive systems. Every vehicle has a multitude of electrical connections, wiring, harnessing, etc to control and monitor every system of the vehicle. Our programmers are responsible for devising displays to alert drivers of real-time situations. We also have radio and GPS tracking in the vehicles for fleet management. Service and maintenance records need to be maintained electronically. The role of the electrical engineer and programmer will continue to be a valuable and high-demand job for employees with the right skill set.

Which traits, skills, and abilities do you look for in an engineer? What would an ideal job applicant bring to the table?  Solid drawing, modeling, and analytical skills are the most desired abilities to have. Being able to “think outside the box” and improvise and design new and efficient methods of communication between systems. Good communication skills are essential — both written and spoken. Thorough knowledge of business system software such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint are essential for communicating on a daily basis. An ability and willingness to learn new software as it becomes available, and a willingness to work in a team environment with lots of hands-on experience or excitement about being a part of a team doing something new. We develop and test prototypes; if that’s not exciting to you, you’re not the candidate we’re looking for.

What does your crystal ball indicate about the future of your industry — any expectations, predictions, projections, or exciting possibilities?  We are a niche industry; our vehicles sell for millions of dollars, to mines and off-highway construction companies. While the field will not grow significantly, the need to produce more efficient, high-tech, cost-effective equipment will continue to be the highest priority in the future. Reducing service and maintenance work by producing better running vehicles.

Any words of advice for engineering students (about school, career or preparation for professional life in general)?  Learn a little about everything; we are a small company of 20-35 employees and need people who fit into more than one slot. The ability to move gracefully between different design teams (electrical, mechanical, hydraulics) is a huge plus. Communication skills and a team attitude are key criteria to being hired by DHTE. Knowing how to perform a job is not enough; being able to explain what needs to be done — through drawings, graphs, documents and presentations, is essential. Good office/business skills; responding to emails promptly, answering the phone politely and returning messages, dressing appropriately each day, are part of the total package, that sometimes new hires are unaware of.

This is the first in a series of articles highlighting firms that employ electrical or computer engineers. Each article will take a question-and-answer format. This time, our questions were answered by Brad Rowe (Business Leader, Human Resources, Senior Associate at SSOE). Many thanks to Mr Rowe for providing informative responses. For more information about the SSOE Group, visit the corporate website at www.ssoe.com.

What does your company do? How does it fit into the local, national, or global economy?  SSOE is a multi-national EPCM firm. We provide a wide range of architectural and engineering design services, as well as project management, procurement and construction management services. SSOE has 26 global office locations with 1000 global employees. Headquartered in Toledo, OH, SSOE also has offices in Troy, Midland, and Portage, MI. Internationally, SSOE has three offices in China, one office in India, and offices in Brazil and Canada.

Describe the roles that electrical and/or computer engineers play in the company. What kinds of opportunities do they currently have?  We employ electrical engineers in three primary areas: facilities power distribution and lighting design, process and machine controls (PLC), and instrumentation and controls (I&C).

Which traits, skills, and abilities do you look for in an engineer?  Being a professional services firm, not only are we looking for the sound engineering core background, but we are also looking for individuals who possess strong communication AND customer focus skills. We are also looking for people who want to work on projects internationally.

What would an ideal job applicant bring to the table?  A strong engineering background, up-to-date 3D CAD experience, project management skills, and an understanding of projects from the design concept stage through construction.

What does your crystal ball indicate about the future of your industry — any expectations, predictions,  projections, or exciting possibilities?  We feel positive about our industry. We are very diverse in our client base so we are able to balance dips in certain markets. Focusing on international growth provides the opportunity for our employees to work in a truly global environment. By the year 2020 we see ourselves being closer to 1700 global employees so we are consistently looking for top talent in the industry.

Any words of advice for engineering students (about school, career, or preparation for professional life in general)?  Take advantage of co-op opportunities. Over 90% of our entry level positions are filled with co-ops we hire directly after graduation.