Our nation is growing, and our infrastructure must grow to keep up with it—not only to conduct the business of our daily lives but also for the ongoing safety of our citizens. Civil engineers play integral roles in determining the direction this growth will take. Yet we’re not doing enough to ensure there are enough qualified professionals ready to answer the call.

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	Yvonne Lopez-Diaz

Based on current trends, traffic levels are expected to swell by 135% to more than 7 trillion vehicle miles traveled annually. As a result, the average motorist can expect to spend 160 hours, or the equivalent of four weeks each year, stuck in traffic delays. At that rate, it's clear we'll need additional infrastructure to support this growth—especially roads and transit systems—just to keep people moving efficiently to schools and jobs, as well as moving commerce.

While federal, state, and local governments continue to grapple with how to adequately fund America's growing infrastructure needs, there is good news for some of us facing daily traffic jams. In 2005, both houses of Congress signed the Federal Transportation Bill. This has meant a demand for more civil engineers—highly trained individuals who design and supervise the construction of roads, bridges, tunnels, airports, buildings, transit systems, and water and sewage systems.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, by 2014 the number of civil engineers needed to support infrastructure growth will rise by approximately 20%, not including open positions due to corporate growth or the retirement of baby boomers.

A decade ago, engineering firms could choose from an abundance of candidates. Filling positions was relatively easy. Now the tables have turned. There are not enough qualified candidates to go around, and candidates have the luxury of being selective about where they choose to work. In fact, while there are more than 1.5 million engineers currently working in the United States, only 18% of them are civil engineers.

Not only are firms seeking more civil engineering candidates, but they're also searching for diversity. Currently, only 10% of civil engineers are women and 20% are minorities. Colleges are beginning to attract more students from these diverse groups; however, challenges remain.

The growing competition for top engineering talent has created a need for unique recruiting approaches. It isn't sufficient to place an ad or attend a career fair. Human resource professionals must think outside the box to remain a step ahead. At HNTB Corporation, we are always looking for ways to be original and engage bold yet unique strategies to attract the best people.

HNTB focuses on growing the leaders of tomorrow at the grassroots level. One approach is to establish strong, lasting relationships with area colleges, such as the University of Central Florida, where we've hired many of the school's brightest students. However, it is critical to remember that strong relationships are built on trust and integrity. Good college relations programs include employee board appointments; in-class employer presentations; lectures at school events; serving on employer forums to help design engineering curricula; forging strong relationships with faculty, academic advisors, and college deans; and mentoring young engineering students.

Firms are finding it harder to keep employees as well as attract them. In addition to hiring top talent, firms must recognize that employees need to grow personally and professionally to be happy. It is critical that they are mentored, coached, and developed to assume positions of greater responsibility. Firms need to offer comprehensive benefit packages, flexible work schedules, fun work environments, the latest technology tools, and opportunities to work on exciting and challenging projects, as well as competitive salaries. Firms offering "the total package" will be more successful at attracting and retaining employees.

It's refreshing when a professional can find an organization that offers him or her not only a career but a career he or she can enjoy. With a high number of single-parent and dual-income families these days, many employees look for companies that are close to home or offer flexible work schedules to provide an acceptable balance between family and career. Others choose firms for the types of work they do.

In the end, people who choose careers in civil engineering can leave a legacy that will serve generations of Americans. We must do more to attract new professionals to this worthwhile industry and retain those who have already chosen to serve.

About the Author

Yvonne Lopez-Diaz is a human resources consultant with HNTB Corporation. She has had more than 24 years of human resources experience and provides strategic HR direction to the management and staff of HNTB's Southeast division.

HNTB Corporation is a national, employee-owned infrastructure firm serving federal, state, municipal, and private clients. Nearly 3,400 professionals in more than 60 offices nationwide provide award-winning planning, design, program management, and construction management services for highway, toll road, bridge, airport, rail, and water projects. For more information about HNTB Corporation, visit www.hntb.com.

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