Day 15: Human Resources, Utilities, Industrial Hygiene, and my Final Presentation!
Today is my final day at KCI! I can't believe how fast these 4 weeks went by!! Today I have 3 more KCI leaders to meet with and then I am off to the Board Room to give a presentation of all that I learned over the past 4 weeks and how I will bring back what I learned to Dundalk. It's going to be an exciting day!
Counseling Connections:
- There are careers out there in Human Resources! People in HR are actually are a lot like counselors! A Bachelor's Degree in Business is helpful!
- KCI is always looking for good talent! They are always looking for engineers as well as entry-level workers out in the field.
- You can become an engineer later in life if you want! Don't let anything get in the way of pursuing your dreams!
- Engineers, designers, and others workers in the Utility market help to ensure that existing structures (pipes and lines in the ground) are not damaged and that people are not harmed either (electrocuted, for example)! They help to prevent accidents!
- There are careers out there in the Industrial Hygiene industry to help protect both the health of the environment and living things.
- There are entry-level positions out there in asbestos, mold, and lead inspecting!
- I want to do classroom presentations about my experiences at KCI and the careers I learned about in the following classrooms: PTECH classes, Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Engineering classes, and the Work-Based learning classes.
- I think it would be great to offer information session to interested students who want to learn about my experiences and different careers I learned about. I could advertise this to students at my school and they could sign up to attend a session in the cafeteria or library. The session could be a general presentation similar to this one that I did or it could be more specific to different careers I learned about.
- I could also offer individual counseling sessions with interested student to discuss these opportuntiies.
- I would like to bring some of the KCI leaders and employees into the classroom and to information sessions to talk to students about career opportunities at KCI.
Bachelor's Degree in Business from Towson University
4 years with KCI
I am excited to meet with Stephanie because I get to learn all about hiring and supporting the KCI employees. Stephanie explains to me that she has been in the Human Resources (HR) field for many years and she has always worked with technology and engineering companies. Previously, she had worked with the Department of Defense.
Stephanie said that HR encompasses a lot of different things, including onboarding, distributing offer letters, working with benefits, and supporting recruiting efforts. They also do a lot of work with affirmative action and meeting Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) goals. This is to ensure that there is no discrimination happening at KCI, which is so important.
Stephanie says that there is a talent acquisition team that goes out to recruit. She says that KCI is always looking for good talent! Stephanie said that they are always looking for engineers as well as entry-level workers out in the field. She talked about how if someone came in as an entry-level, they will pay for their training and even pay for them to get their Bachelor's degree and beyond as long as it's within the field.
Stephanie also talked about how they work with acquisitions, which is when KCI acquires other companies. She said that the Texas Market, in particular, has grown so much and they just recently acquired a company in Texas of 100 employees. She said that sometimes acquisitions are easy and other times they are difficult. Sometimes it's difficult for employees to move under new management but I can see how KCI does a great job at making people feel welcome and ensuring a smooth transition.
I was curious about what happens when someone is fired or let go. Stephanie says that there is a disciplinary process and unless it's something serious, like theft, the employee is usually coached and counseled and given warnings before they are let go. If the employee is not performing well, for example, making errors in drawings, a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) is implemented and they are reassessed in 60 days. The manager is responsbile for documenting everything in order to support any decision to let someone go.
We talked about the cultural shift with the pandemic and working virtually. She said that it has been a tought adjustment and they have tried to make it a hybrid environment but some employees are still completely virtual. I have noticed myself how quiet the Sparks building is and how there are so many empty desks and cubicles. Stephanie said the office environment has definitely changed as a result of the pandemic.
Stephanie said that they do have an Employee Assistance Program to help employees in need of mental health services. She also said that sometimes they mandate the Employee Assistance Program if, for example, an employee needs alcohol or drug counseling.
Overall, Stephanie said a lot of people who work in HR have Bachelor's degrees in Business but you don't necessarily have to. Some people in the HR department don't have college degrees. She said that overall, her job involves a lot of common sense and good communication skills. She said that a lot of her time is spent coaching and counseling employees through problems and helping come up with a solution. She said it's important not to jump to conclusions and not to say "no" right away. It's important to listen without passing judgement. I told her that she sounds a lot like a counselor and what I do with my students- and she agreed!
I'm excited to talk with Stephanie more at lunch today with Melissa!
How would you describe your job to a high school
student in a few sentences?
“Human Resources is a fulfulling career that comes with challenges, celebrations, heartache, and surprises."
What advice do you have
for a high school student?
"Follow your heart! You spend so much time at work. Find something you love. Set goals and go for it!"
Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering from University of Maryland, College Park
19 years at KCI
Now here is another impressive and powerful woman in the engineering field! I think this is only the second female engineer I have met with this entire experience, Michelle Wolfe in Environmental Compliance being the other one. Nadia said there really are not many female engineers in the field. We need more of them!
I was under a time crunch so I only got to meet with Nadia briefly but I wish we could have met longer! Nadia has such a great personality and she seems so passionate about her career and life in general. She says that she knew she wanted to be an engineer in the 7th grade. She said she always thought a lot about how things work and wanted to make plans.
Nadia tells me that she came to the United States from El Salvador at the age of 19. I immediately wanted to talk to her about this because the first time I traveled out of the country was to El Salvador! Back in 2010, I went on an amazing service trip in graduate school through Loyola University Maryland. What a beautiful country rich with history and culture! I told her how much I loved and miss the pupusas and she said she'd make me some! Nadia said that she didn't become an engineer until the age of 30! I loved hearing this because it shows that it is never too late to follow your dreams!
Nadia said she actually works a lot with Transportation when it comes to Utilities. When roads or bridges are being constructed, it almost always interferes or has an impact on existing utilities in the ground and things need to be redesigned and moved in order for things to work properly. Therefore, transportation often drives her work. Nadia showed me a drawing of a current project and it had a bunch of colored lines that showed all of the pre-existing pipes and lines- it's a lot! They have to be able to capture this data correctly in order to make the project move along effectively and efficently. Then the designers have to do their work to ensure the project can be executed. It's quite a process but all so important because if a pipe or line gets hit, not only could it be damaging the existing structures and cost a lot of money to fix, but it could also be dangerous to the workers and people in the community.
I was a little confused about how the Utility Market worked after talking with a bunch of different people and there seems to be a lot of overlap. Nadia broke it down very nicely for me. She said that there are 3 parts to the Utility Market: Power, Communications Design, and Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUI). She also said there are dry utilites and wet utilities. Dry utilities are gas, telecommunications, and electric, which is what her team works with. Wet utilities are water and wastewater, which is what the Water Market works with. I appreciate Nadia explaining all of this to me as it makes so much more sense now how KCI is broken up!
I really admire Nadia and all that she has accomplished. I know that she will continue to make great strides in the industry!
How would you describe your job to a high school
student in a few sentences?
“We make sure people don't get electrocuted and hurt. We help avoid accidents!"
What advice do you have
for a high school student?
“Never give up!" Life will throw you challenges but keep going. Tak advantage of opportunities!
Bachelor's Degree in Biology from York College of Pennsylvania
10 years at KCI
I was supposed to meet Jonathan during my first week when I was learning about Environmental Science and Water, but I accidently got my schedule mixed up so I'm glad we were able to meet today! This was a topic I found especially interesting so I wanted to be sure we met before I left! Thank you to Jonathan for being so accomodating to meet with me.
Jonathan says that he has always had an interest in nature and science, which is what led him to this field. He has a background in working in a chemistry lab and also doing inspections. With experience, Jonathan has worked his way up to being a practice leader in the industry.
Jonathan said the bulk of their work is indoors and often involves asbestos, lead paint, and indoor air quality. Jonathan said they are currently doing a lot of work in vacant rowhomes through the Housing Authority of Baltimore. He said that all of the rowhomes have to be inspected before they demolish them because, based on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards, rowhomes can't be demolished without removing the asbestos. This is because if it is released into the air, it is harmful to humans. I never would have even thought about this!
Jonathan said that the good thing about asbestos is that once you remove it, it won't grow back. He said that they say "mold is gold" because it can grown back. Of course I have several questions to ask him about mold because I live in an old Baltimore city rowhome and I suspect we may have mold in our house. It was interesting to talk to him about it!
Jonathan said that his team also does inspections on Section 8 housing in Baltimore because it is required before they allow people to move in. Jonathan said that they do have entry-level inspectors in asbestos, lead, and mold. They don't have to have any prior experience and will provide training. They could do up to 10 houses a day, 5 days a week for this project.
Jonathan said that they do a lot of exposure assessents and identification of hazards in occupational buildings. I also thought it was interesting that industrial hygiene also involves noise exposure and ergonomics (how people sit or stand, for example, in a work environment). Really this involves anything that can affect the health and well-being of the individual. I feel like this work is similar to occupational therapy except this involves working with the environment itself instead of the human being.
Jonathan also talked about how they detect radan in schools (which is gas that comes up from the ground in certain areas). He says it is the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer- I had no idea! That's why he said homes have to be detected for radan and there are reminders every year for you to check your house for radan. I also thought it was cool that Jonathan got to do some testing in a haunted mental institution. He also talked about a building they work with that has a nuclear reactor in it and the reactor will release radiation and they have to check the levels. They have to wear suits, respirators, and eye protection. I find this all so interesting after just recently watching "Chernobyl" and "Three Mile Island"- check them out if you haven't yet. I find it all so fascinating! I'm really glad I got a chance to talk to Jonathan about this area of KCI since I really have an interest in learning about how our environment affects our health.
How would you describe your job to a high school student in a few sentences?
It can be dirty work but you get to be outside and work in a lot of cool environments. You can take this career in whatever direction you want!
What advice do you have for a high school student?
“Don't do drugs! Start investing in your retirement now!"
After my meeting with Jonathan, Melissa takes Stephanie and I out to lunch before my final presentation! I thought this was so niceof her and it was so great to be able to chat outside of the office! I'm filled with nerves but I'm also excited to share my presentation with KCI!
My Final Presentation!
I walk into the Board Room and KCI leaders start trickling in, including Nate Beil (CEO), Bill Roberts (CAO), Chuck Phillips (Site Market Leader), and Scott Riddle (Power Market Leader) are present. It's cool that so many people I interviewed will get to hear my presentation. Melissa and Stephanie are there to support me as well, which I really appreciate. There are many other people that I interviewed that joined through Microsoft Teams. I am really so thankful that so many KCI leaders took the time to show up to hear my presentation that I worked so hard on!
I am so nervous but once I get started with introducing myself, I feel so much better and my energy fills the room and I can feel the energy back from everyone listening.
I start by talking about my background as a School Counselor and my role at Dundalk High School. I also talked about Dundalk as a school and I, of course, had to mention that KCI played a huge role in the construction of the current Dundalk High School building, which opened in 2013.
I then talk about 3 programs at Dundalk that are related to the work at KCI as you can see above!
I also thought it was important to talk about our students and what they plan to do after high school and I share the pie chart below:
My interviews with KCI leaders and site visits and hands-on experiences out in the field really gave me the opportunity to explore all of these careers in depth.
-Civil Engineering, Architectual Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering
-Environmental Science, Biology, and Geology
-Geography and Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
-Information Technology, Computer Science, and Cybersecurity
-Business Management, Accounting/Finance, Organization Development, and Human Resources
-Mass Communication, Marketing, and Graphic Design
-Landscape Architecture
-Outside KCI: Historians and Archeologists
Next I talked about all of the career opportunities at KCI which are entry-level and do not require a 4-year college degree, which I have been discussing in this blog as well:
-Inspectors
-Surveyors
-Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) Technicians
-Communications Infrastucture Technicians
-Environmental Technicians
-Drone Operators
-Outside KCI: Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant Operators, Asbestos and Mold Inspectors, Concrete and Compaction Testing, Caisson Workers
WOW! So many careers that I have learned about in such a short amount of time and all at 1 company! That is incredible!
Finally, I talk about the most important thing about this whole experience- how I will bring what I learned back to Dundalk!
I have several ideas:
-I want to do classroom presentations about my experiences at KCI and the careers I learned about in the following classrooms: PTECH classes, Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Engineering classes, and the Work-Based learning classes.
-I think it would be great to offer information session to interested students who want to learn about my experiences and different careers. I could advertise this to students at my school and they could sign up to attend a session in the cafeteria or library. The session could be a general presentation similar to this one that I did or it could be more specific to different careers I learned about.
-I could also offer individual counseling sessions with interested student to discuss these opportuntiies.
-I would like to bring some of the KCI leaders and employees into the classroom and to information sessions to talk to students about career opportunities at KCI.
Overall, I was really happy with my presentation and I was so honored that so many important people came out to hear me speak!
I have so many ideas and my mind keeps churning more and more! After the presentation, I was actually talking with Nate and Melissa and I was thinking that it might be a good idea if I connected KCI with our Work-Based Learning Coordinator. He works with Seniors who have jobs during their Senior year. This allows them to earn high school credit while also working. I was thinking since White Marsh is so close to Dundalk, and they have a lot of entry-level positions in Communications Infrastucture, maybe some of the Seniors could work there! I could get some CI employees to come into the Work-Based Learning classroom to talk to the students! I'm looking forward to starting this partnership when I get back to school in a few weeks.
Overall, I am hopeful that the relationships that I built at KCI will be a benefit to both my students at Dundalk and to KCI as a company. I know that I have surely benefited from the experiences and the lives that have touched me over the past 4 weeks. I know that through this experience, I have grown in many ways both professionally and personally. I now have a lot more knowledge about career opportunities that I can share with my students. I also have gained the confidence and reassurance that I can do challenging things in my own profession if I put my heart and mind to it. I can "Rise to the Challenge"!
I want to conclude by sending a huge "thank you" to all of the KCI leaders for making this externship such an incredible experience. You have all been so incredibly kind, patient, and giving. Thank you for taking the time to sit down and talk with me so I can learn about all of the amazing work you are doing and the career opportunities that are out there for my students!
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