6 Reasons Why Structural Engineers Burnout

Поділитися
Вставка
  • Опубліковано 3 лис 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 50

  • @MatPicardal
    @MatPicardal  2 роки тому +3

    What burnout factors have you overcome or are experiencing?

    • @kolavithonduraski5031
      @kolavithonduraski5031 2 роки тому +1

      all of these plus low payment. thatswhy i quit working as a Structural Engineer.
      Now i am a kind of projectmanager/-controller and i have to say... structural engineers should not be afraid of doing something else...or then to go back?
      i personally will not go back to SE. i was a kind of introvert, wasnt good at writing e-mails and doing calls. but now i can lead bigger discussions, have a better and broader understanding on projects, which is really fun.
      i am not that projectmanager who has no clue about what he is doing, no, i can actually bring things to goals by solving problems.
      i like the diversity of the work.
      Structural Engineers have shown what they are capable of by finishing university
      we can do much more than "only" statics 😊👍

  • @tamalchakraborty6537
    @tamalchakraborty6537 2 роки тому +46

    Structural Engineering is one of the most under appreciated and highly physically & Mentally demanding jobs. People just don't understand just sheer amount of calculation that goes under the radar to produce seemingly simple drawings.

    • @kurtsalm2155
      @kurtsalm2155 Рік тому +3

      The main reason we are underappreciated is because your calculations are a big part of your work product, but they are not "deliverables". The client sees the drawings and specs, but your calcs rarely leave the office. They may be filed with the building commissioner who probably doesn't even look at them and if he did, he wouldn't understand them. Your calculations become your potential defense if there is trouble on project. Other than a means to the end, calculations are invisible, and therefore of no value to the client.
      The last several years before retiring, I worked on existing structures evaluations and restoration projects. These jobs rarely required extensive calculations. Most of the office work involved cost estimates and condition reports all of which are deliverables along with the drawings. We could get decent fees because we worked direct for owners, not architects. (Fees from architects are low because they don't charge enough, but that's a sad tale of woe for another day). The work got a little repetitive, but that made solving issues on similar projects very efficient, hence profitable. We all got great salaries and excellent bonuses and rarely worked more than 45 or 50 hours per week. We almost always had our weekends completely free. Narrow specialization may not be ideal for newbies, but for the mature engineer with 25 years broad based experience, it could be a great career capstone and a cure for burnout.

  • @HHHPedigrees
    @HHHPedigrees 2 роки тому +95

    Structural Engineering is one of the most intensive yet underpaid careers. The amount of technical knowledge you need is insane but society would rather put value on useless Kardashians than engineers that keep everyone safe.

    • @luisahumada6081
      @luisahumada6081 2 роки тому +3

      Also, you could go to the jail if the things are going wrong...
      On the other hand, like physicians, we need to get update of the codes every year and learn new codes, especially if you are working internationally (I'm from Chile and I worked for projects in Australia, Canadá and the US for the mining industry)...

    • @BV-sh7nu
      @BV-sh7nu 2 роки тому

      @@luisahumada6081 are you a physician?

    • @luisahumada6081
      @luisahumada6081 2 роки тому

      @@BV-sh7nu nooooooo ... Well physician for the structures...

    • @melsawy93
      @melsawy93 2 роки тому +3

      This is exactly why im leaving this industry. I even got my SE but still feel undervalued.

    • @HHHPedigrees
      @HHHPedigrees 2 роки тому +1

      Moustafa El-sawy
      What are you switching to? Just curious

  • @meistergedanken4790
    @meistergedanken4790 Рік тому +4

    Been working as a structural engineer for 27 years now, and I burned out in 2017 and never really recovered. Since then I eliminated essentially all OT and have had a great boss for the last couple of years, so the situation is "stable". Pay is decent, I am respected and pretty much come and go as I please and am completely unsupervised. I turn down a new project almost every week (I learned to say 'no'!). But basically, aside from making sure designs are safe, I have let most things that I really used to care about slide. Design/Build "partnerships" hastened this state of affairs. Also, all the encroaching threats to productivity - byzantine IT safeguards and protocols, constantly changing (and ever more expensive) software, the REVIT time-sink, continuing education requirements and most importantly, the more and more restrictive and complicated building and design codes are impossible to keep up with. I have a stack of 3 year's worth of "Modern Steel Construction Magazine" sitting near my bookcase that I still haven't read. Next edition of ASCE 7 we will have to design buildings to resist tornadoes as well as wind. Yippee. I am hoping to have the fortitude endure another 4 - 6 years and then retire early, or maybe just do some part-time consulting as the mood strikes me.

  • @dadwarkh
    @dadwarkh 2 роки тому +8

    For some reason people focus on the architectural design and the fancy colors rather than thinking about the huge efforts to make that design comes to reality. that's why we are underpaid and less less appreciated.

    • @paigebrue206
      @paigebrue206 Рік тому

      I think this is because design and colors are more "fun" than calculations.

  • @blink3951
    @blink3951 2 роки тому +18

    Hey Matt, congrats on passing the SE!!
    I’d love to see you designing a building from very start to finish, to get your process. Could this be a possible video?

    • @MatPicardal
      @MatPicardal  2 роки тому +14

      Yes! Design videos have been requested and I’ve wanted to do some of those, they take a while though but looking on doing those now that I’m done with exams.

    • @luisahumada6081
      @luisahumada6081 2 роки тому

      Yeah!! Kudos to you!

  • @matteodebonis555
    @matteodebonis555 2 роки тому +7

    And if civil engineers are considered underpaid in the US, try to think how are salaries in other countries.

  • @asiagreen5658
    @asiagreen5658 2 роки тому +4

    Something that you can't control outside your company/ workplace that could make you burn out
    1. Humanmade and/or natural disaster
    2. Building officials keep changing codes or laws while you doing middle of the project or like in NYC, most new construction building have to being all electrical systems in the building that mean no more gas plumbing in new construction building
    3. Construction workers made mistakes during construction process or misunderstanding the drawings
    4. You can't do what type of project you want to do that did not match what type of project clients, public , or local communities want or need
    5. Dealing with different personalities that who don't work same company or workplace( other designers or suppliers)

  • @TheIdo14
    @TheIdo14 2 роки тому +7

    2:06 80+ HOURS A WEEK? even if youd pay me with gold bars I wouldnt do it. one of the problems is that there are people that agree with such terms.

  • @basedbilbo326
    @basedbilbo326 2 роки тому +7

    Matt, you mentioned a book you had recently finished at the start of the video (I have a guess as to what one it is). Would you ever create a video addressing your top 5 books for structural engineers and others in our industry?

    • @MatPicardal
      @MatPicardal  2 роки тому +3

      Yup, that one was At Your Best by Carey Nieuwhof

  • @HTheHeat619
    @HTheHeat619 2 роки тому +4

    I wont lie as an engineer I feel alot of burn out too. The job on its own is stressful and having to do calculations for new design which in my firm I do civil, structural design and hydraulic analysis for storm water design and drainage. I have to also do contract administration on the jobs and site visits and still have to make time for professional development and technical skills development. Working with some contractors that just like to literally be told what to do for everything, send in their submittals late and put pressure on you during construction phase for review and approval of submittals, addressing RFIs and they always want a new detail for something simple. Sometimes people don't understand the amount of work and roles you need to perform as an engineer apart from the calculations and reports. Don't ask for all the meeting minutes u have to draft up for every meeting u chair yes at our firm we also have alot of administrative tasks to do on top of all what we do. Long story short it's alot and our salaries don't reflect the workload or level of responsibility we have as engineers.

    • @odera8289
      @odera8289 2 роки тому

      let me guess you work for a small company?

  • @sanchitkumar6945
    @sanchitkumar6945 2 роки тому +3

    Charge clients more. That's my only request. Work and Work Hours are pretty much fine for a Structural Engineer in United States. Need of the hour is higher salaries and we need to work on that. Also, if possible, please push services like Blast Resistance/Vibration Resistance in Structures and charge them for these premium services as a Structural Engineering Manager.

  • @tinashemutero195
    @tinashemutero195 2 роки тому +7

    Structural engineering is cool if you respect your standards learn to say no to overload

  • @rhcengineering
    @rhcengineering 2 роки тому

    Relate much here Engr. Mat. Thanks for this video.

  • @MasterCivilEngineering
    @MasterCivilEngineering 2 роки тому +1

    Master the concepts of practical engineering here and work for top construction companies 💯

  • @tribby3d
    @tribby3d 2 роки тому +2

    I hope more structural engineers start working in tech instead! There are so many opportunities for automation and innovation.

  • @saifchowdhury3581
    @saifchowdhury3581 2 роки тому +1

    I just crossed 4 years in the industry in Hong Kong and already burnt out. :(

  • @sanchitkumar6945
    @sanchitkumar6945 2 роки тому +1

    Hardly 1% Structural Engineers in United States work more than 80 hrs a week regularly.

  • @johnbahame1023
    @johnbahame1023 2 роки тому

    Following for so long now

  • @reanengineering2397
    @reanengineering2397 2 роки тому

    good explanation

  • @IndianWarriors
    @IndianWarriors 2 роки тому

    Great 👍😃

  • @sotheaborn582
    @sotheaborn582 2 роки тому

    wait your video so long brother !!

  • @SoidHoid
    @SoidHoid 6 місяців тому

    I'm a structural engineer for the public sector, and I'm burned out. I've seriously considered leaving the profession entirely. For me, it's because the engineering is the least part of my job. The money and people stuff I have to deal with around the engineering is my problem. I joke that you know you've 'made it' as an engineer when you never do engineering anymore.

  • @vcveasna348
    @vcveasna348 2 роки тому

    Hello could I ask u one question, what should be reduced moment of inertia in structural modeling? (For low risk and higher risk building)

  • @frogswell8964
    @frogswell8964 2 роки тому +2

    They pay us 🍌

  • @MMJ501
    @MMJ501 2 роки тому +1

    Poor pay does not motivate you

  • @hazimalwaali9507
    @hazimalwaali9507 2 роки тому +1

    Take it easy and enjoy life, engineering, mistakes and failure.
    I think eventually you will leave and work in Amazon.

  • @hazimalwaali9507
    @hazimalwaali9507 2 роки тому

    Disclaimer lol. What’s going on Matt?

  • @jordi925
    @jordi925 2 роки тому

    Hey just sent a message on Instagram for some advice on Instagram if you'd take a look 🙏