Day 2: Marketing, Innovation, and Water
Counselor Connections
- There is a whole other side to marketing, which involves writing Request for Proposals (RFPs). This is how KCI gets projects to work on. Without this marketing team, there would not be a KCI! If you like writing, have good computer skills, work well with graphics, and are meticulous and detail-oriented, you will like this job!
- Knowing how to use Computer-Aided Design and Drafting (CADD), is an important skill to have if you want to work for an engineering firm. You don't even need a 4-year degree to work as a drafter or designer. You just need experience working with CADD and having a CADD certificate helps. If you like working with computers, there are LOTS of jobs out there for you!
- KCI, as well as many other companies, will pay for you to go to college if you commit to working a certain number of years after you earn your degree. For KCI it is 3 years. You can start in an entry-level position right out of high school and KCI will pay for you to go to college while working full time! Sometimes you can even take a sabbatical and go to college in another state or country!
- Even though KCI is an engineering firm, only 35% of employees are professional engineers. There are lots of other career opportunities available in KCI alone!
- There are a lot of career opportunities in the science field at KCI. For most positions, you will start in the field, so make sure you like working outside in the mud and in cold and hot temperatures! This is how you learn and grow!
Microsoft Teams Meeting with Deb Boyd, Director of Marketing
Bachelor's Degree in Marketing from Towson University
MBA from University of Phoenix
I started my day
with Deb, who I can tell is a powerful,
hardworking leader for KCI and I learn that she has worked at KCI since she has
graduated college and has seen all of the growth and advances in the industry
and KCI over the years. I keep
hearing from employees that one of the great benefits of working for KCI is
that they will pay for 80% of the cost if you have been working up to 5 years
at KCI and then 100% for 5 years and after as long as you commit to 3 years with
the company after you earn your degree or certification. This is how Deb earned her MBA at little to no cost! What an awesome
opportunity KCI has for their employees!
Deb’s Marketing Department is very different
than Whitney Shumaker’s Communications Department, even though they utilize
the same marketing skills and expertise. While Whitney’s team is responsible
for marketing the brand itself, Deb’s department is responsible for writing RFPs,
which stands for Request for Proposals. These Request for Proposals are how KCI
gets projects to work on. This type of marketing is very technical, meticulous,
and detail-oriented. She showed me an example of an RFP and it looked very professional
from the layout of the proposal to the charts and photos to the written
content. Deb said that these proposals can be anywhere from 6 to 150 pages
long! I said I had never even heard of this kind of marketing and Deb said herself
and most other people in the field also had never heard of this either!
I can
see how an individual would have to be a good writer while also having a good
eye with graphics and computer skills to do this type of marketing. Deb said
that they place employees within the department based on their skill levels. Some
individuals are strong in graphic design and focus in that area while others
are strong writers and do the majority of the written work. Furthermore, although
individuals in this department don’t have to have an engineering degree, they
do need to learn terminology and have a basic understand of the processes in
order to deliver an effective RFP. Deb explained that RFPs are extremely competitive
as KCI is competing with other engineering firms trying to gain projects as
well.
Deb said that of 1,100 RFPs, they have “won” 35% of the projects, which
is very good and above their goal! Deb showed me a chart with all of the
projects they have “won”, which was very interesting to view. While some projects
are only a few thousand dollars, some are in the millions! Their biggest project
is Duke Energy, a $100 million dollar project! Deb showed me the breakdown of her Marketing
team in a chart and I was impressed by how large and strong the team looked. When
I think of an engineering team, I didn’t even think about these important
people who are the ones that actually get the work for the engineers to do. Without
Deb and her team, KCI wouldn’t even exist!
How would you describe your job to a high school student
in a few sentences?
“I put smart people together to get things done.” I help win
work in response to Request for Proposals (RFPs). I put all of the pieces
together to make sure it gets done. We win work through written, technical
proposals.
What advice do you have for a high school student?
“Keep an open mind.” Don’t be afraid to change your direction if it doesn’t fit. If your enjoyment is anything less than 70 to 80% of the job, you won’t be happy. Promote yourself!
Microsoft Teams Meeting with Cyrus McCall, Technical Lead
Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering from Cornell University
Master's Degree in Engineering from University of Maryland, College Park
3 years at KCI
For my next meeting, I had a phone call with Cyrus, who was actually on a layover to Hawaii for vacation with his family! It was so kind of him to take the time to meet with me while on vacation. He was such a pleasure to talk with and I really appreciated that he took his time talking with me. Cyrus typically works remotely from his home in Southern Maine. Cyrus’s Master’s Thesis was researching visualization projects for the Maryland State Highway Administration, which has led to his current work with 3D-modeling and computer programs to assist engineers with their work.
Cyrus talked a lot about CADD, which stands for
Computer-Aided Design and Drafting. Cyrus said you don’t even really need a
college degree to have a job in this field. You just need to be really into
computers and how they work and earn certification in computer programs, such
as CADD. I know for, example, that there is a CADD certification that you can receive
at our local community college. In addition to programs, such as CADD, Cyrus
also makes videos for projects, such as flying over highways. Cyrus has also
earned his Pilot’s license to operate drones. Who knew that you needed a Pilot’s
license to operate a drone!
Cyrus also says that he goes to the Maryland State
Highway Administration building monthly to support young people in using computer
programs for their projects, which I think is really cool. I can really see how
a lot of my students who enjoy computers would love to do the type of work that
Cyrus does. I can also see how with the increase in technology that there will
be lots of job growth in this field.
How would you describe your job to a high school student in
a few sentences?
“I help people with technology and communicating with
visuals.” I help people solve problems.
What advice do you have for high school students?
“Try to have fun and enjoy high school but also work hard
and don’t slack. You need to find balance.”
Microsoft Teams Meeting with Gary Mryncza, Water Market Leader
Bachelor's Degree in Natural Science from Towson University
Master's Degree in Water Resources from the University of Birmingham in England
Master's Degree in Construction Engineering from Vanderbilt University
My next meeting was over Microsoft Teams with Gary, a really nice, down-to-earth guy with an impressive resume. Gary attended Holabird Middle School and Sparrows Point High School, which are neighboring schools to the school I work at. Gary served as an intern in college and has worked at KCI ever since, as I have noticed many employees do at KCI! Gary started working in the Hunt Valley office at the time and then he moved to Raleigh, North Carolina to help start a new group and then he opened an office in Nashville, where he has been living and working since (naturally I had many questions about Nashville because it is a city that I love)! Interestingly, Gary spent a year on “sabbatical” while at KCI and went to England to earn his Master’s degree in Water Resources at University of Birmingham. I thought this was very cool that KCI gave Gary the opportunity to travel while earning his degree! He also earned a second Master's degree at Vanderbilt University. Gary is certainly a life-long learner!
Gary explained that there are many different
disciplines in KCI, including Resource Management, Environmental Engineering,
GIS (Geographical Information Systems), Asset Management, and Technology and
Innovation. I think I will be diving deeper (no pun intended), into each of
these disciplines in the coming days. The Water Market, in particular, is divided
into 2 disciplines: Natural Resources and Water Resources. Natural Resources involves
scientists who do biological assessments and stream restorations. Water
Resources involves both engineers and scientists and how water is drained when
building roads and structures, as well as storm water management in order to
prevent flooding. The ultimate goal among these disciplines is to keep water
clean and limit pollution.
Gary talked about the Total Maximum Daily Load,
which limits the amount of nutrients and harmful participles that go into certain
bodies of water, such as the Chesapeake Bay. In order to manage stormwater, for
example, dry ponds and wetlands are designed and constructed, channels are
worked on, and erosion control plans and water quality work is executed. The Environmental
Engineering division works with both clean water and wastewater from clean
water in your tap to water in your toilets and sewage disposal.
I enjoyed
hearing Gary talk about their work with flood remediation in Howard County,
which I am familiar with in terms of the flooding that has happened in Elliott
City in recent years. He also talked about studies and trash collection using
the Mr. Trash Wheel in Baltimore City. What I thought was most interesting is
how closely the Water Market works with the Transportation and Construction
departments since many of their projects are around bodies of water and,
therefore, require the work of scientists in order to do their job without harming
the environment. There are so many different aspects of water! It is all around
us and it is involved in everything we do. After all, we wouldn’t be able to
survive without water!
How would you describe your job to a high school student in
a few sentences?
“I help preserve and restore the natural environments.” By
doing this, we are able to develop and build but to no adverse effects.
What advice do you have for high school students?
“No matter what you do, treat people right and things will work out. Do your best and don’t compare yourself to everyone else.”
Microsoft Teams Meeting with James Deriu, Resource Management Discipline Manager
Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science from Gettysburg College
Master's degree in Environmental Science from Towson University
18 years with KCI
My final Microsoft Teams meeting today was with James, who works very closely with Gary even though Gary lives in Nashville. James is another committed, long-standing employee! James said that there is a really good tenure at KCI because they provide so many good opportunities, including exposure to different types of work and the ability to work with strong groups in different locations throughout the country.
What I really enjoyed most about talking with James is his involvement with the
PTECH program at my high school. PTECH stands for Pathways in Technology Early
College High School. High school students work with a mentor from one of our
industry partners, including KCI, are offered a guaranteed paid internship, and
earn a free Associate’s Degree in Engineering Technology from our local
community college, Community College of Baltimore County. What’s really cool is
there is no admissions criteria and any 8th grade student zoned for
Dundalk High School can apply. The goal is that students will create relationships
with industry partners and move from paid internships into full-time jobs at
the company. James serves as the industry partner lead at KCI and he said they
have 10 mentors at KCI partnered with students. There is currently a Dundalk High
School student serving as an intern this summer and I hope to see her in action
in the coming weeks!
James spoke more with me about the Natural Resources
Group, which involves engineering design for restoration of streams, dams, and
wetlands and also the permitting and regulatory compliance of projects. I liked
hearing James talk about the work their team did at Sollers Point Technical
High School, which is the building shared with our school. He explained that
KCI was responsible for all of the work outside the building, including the
parking lot, drainage, roads, and utilities. Natural Resources also involves
watershed science and large scale studies with maps, documentation, and detailed
analysis of streams and other bodies of water. In the spring they do benthic (bug)
surveys and in the summer they do fish surveys. James explained that the types
of bugs and fish can be correlated with the health of the stream. I will learn more
about this tomorrow during my field visit to a stream, which James has
coordinated for me! I’m excited to get a hands-on look at what their work is
all about!
James also talked about stormwater management design and hydrology,
which is the study of the movement of water. They may study, for example, what
happens when water goes under a bridge. James also touched on Geo-Environmental
Services and Hazardous Materials, which I think I will learn more about when I
talk to other KCI employees later in the week. James gave me some more insight
into the company as far as the kind of career opportunities offered at KCI.
James said that even though KCI is an engineering firm, only 35% of employees
are professional engineers. The rest of the employees include surveys,
inspectors, designers, etc. which are positions that don’t even require 4 year
degrees. In fact, James said having certification and expertise in CADD may
actually be more valuable than having a 4 year degree. This is very interesting
and relevant information that I look forward to sharing with my students. I
really enjoyed talking with James about all of the cool things his team works
on and I can’t wait to experience it first-hand tomorrow!
How would you describe your job to a high school student in
a few sentences?
“It’s a career path and job that allows you to see something
from initial concept to final implementation.” You are out in the field
collecting information about existing wetlands and using information to develop
plans to restore the area and present it to the community and watch it be built.
In 2 years, you can see it come to fruition.
"The world is run by people who show up!"
What advice do you have for high school students?
“Make sure you’re looking for an internship and real-world
experiences.” If you can learn how to be on time, interact with professionals,
talk about a new experience, etc., it will be invaluable. Learn how to work
well in a team environment. It doesn’t always mean you have to have the best
grades or perform the best academically. For this kind of work, you need to be
okay being in the mud, working in cold weather, etc. If you like hunting and
fishing you will probably like this work!
Getting Ready to go Electrofishing Tomorrow!
Tomorrow is my first day out in the field with some of the scientists that work at KCI. I get to go electrofishing in a stream and I have no idea what to expect! Excited to get hands-on tomorrow...
Comments
Post a Comment