Rise to the Challenge: KCI through a Counselor’s Eyes

I start the day in the Sparks office with Steve Cumor and then we are going out to a field site so I can see what surveyors do. I'm excited to get out in the field today! Counselor Connections: Surveying is good for people who like math and are precise and detail-oriented. Surveyors can start at around $33k and make up to $80k- all without a college degree! Many surveyors start out as rodman- carrying and transporting the surveying equipment.  Many of our Founding Fathers were land surveyors so it is a very noble career.  Surveying also involves working in all types of weather, climbing up ladders, harnessing, etc.- so if you like adventure and the outdoors you might like this job! Caissons build the foundation for any structure being build. Caisson work is another career that is in high demand and is entry-level. Being able to build relationships with people is important in any job you have! Steve Cumor, Practice Leader, Field Services Coursework at CCBC, Anne Arundel CC, and...

Today I am back to interviewing in the Sparks office. I have a busy schedule and a lot of different people to meet!  It's hard to keep focused though because this weekend I got ENGAGED! What an exciting summer this has been!  This externship has meant so much to me because I get to show my students what careers are out there but also because I get to a little taste of what my Dad does in Construction Project Management, my uncle does in Civil Engineering, and what my  fiancé   does in Mechanical Engineering, which I will be learning more about later in the week.  Below is a picture of me and my fiancé after the proposal on Saturday- we are so excited!! Back to my externship and an exciting day of meeting more amazing KCI leaders... Counselor Connections Land Surveyors map out the boundary lines for a construction project and make sure things are being constructed in the right locations. Surveying is an entry level job and you don't need a college degree to ...

Today I took another long drive! This time to Newark, Delaware. The commute should only be about 1 hr. 15 minutes but with traffic and a detour (right around Havre de Grace, where I used to work), it took almost 2 hours. It's okay though since I'm familar with the area! Ironically, my uncle, Dr. Harry (Tripp) Shenton III, is actually a professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and is now the Dean for Undergraduate Education for the University of Delaware! I grew up going up to Newark to visit my family and also my best friend who went to UD. It is fun to be back in a place I have fond memories of... Counselor Connections There is a lot of work out there in transportation. With KCI- you can be an inspector and there is a huge need for inspectors. You can get involved in inspecting in the summers during high school, right after you graduate high school, during college, or after college! There are so many opportunities! Bookkeeping is another area of KCI that I didn't t...

Today I took a long 2 hours drive down to Newburg, Maryland, which is located in Southern Maryland and Charles County. I drove down this way when I visited St. Mary's College in high school and I also interviewed for some School Counseling jobs down in Calvert County right out of graduate school but it's been a while since I've been down here. Luckily it was a nice, easy drive and no traffic on the way down! I'm excited to see how "nice" this Nice Bridge is that everyone is talking about. It's one of the biggest construction projects KCI is currently working on... Counselor Connections Women in the engineering and construction field are powerful! It's a great field for women to go into! You don't always need a certain degree to get into this field. As long as you have the drive and passion and you are willing to learn and work hard, you can get started in the field and work your way up! Rotational programs, such as the one KCI offers, are a great w...

  I start the day in the Sparks office and then I get to go out in the field to Morgan State. I’m excited to go off campus to see some more work that KCI does… Counselor Connections Inspectors make up a huge part of KCI! Inspectors are important because they represent the owner and make sure the job gets done right.  Inspectors do not need college degrees and many companies will hire people with no experience at all and provide the training. Inspectors can start out making $40k a year and work up to $90k per year! There are also lots of opportunities for overtime! KCI meets the basic needs for people in terms of getting people and goods from place to place. It is a rewarding place to work! Safety of the workers and community are really important during construction. There are jobs out there if you want to help keep people safe! There are definitely financial benefits for working for an ESOP like KCI. You can retire a millionaire if you stay a long time and work hard! There are...