Why Civil Engineering Training Should Be Deadline-Proof
Was this supervisor wrong to write up a new engineer? A civil engineer said a new coworker, an engineer in training (EIT), needed help with design software. As a submittal deadline approached, he didn't have time to keep training him, so the EIT found another way to get it done and got written up. The engineer even offered to run tutorial sessions, but the supervisor said no.
This is the fourth of the seven learning needs for civil engineers: deadline-proof.
So, was the supervisor wrong?
My answer is maybe, maybe not. I think the bigger problem is that we can't rely on senior staff availability. Even with training time built into the schedule and budget, senior staff may not have the time, or the willingness, to stay late and train the new hire. Things can be going fine, and as soon as the deadline hits, it all stops. Then the new hire does whatever they can to move the work forward, and that may not be something you'd approve of.
Why it matters
Deadline-proof means keeping the training going when the deadline hits, so people aren't left to fill in the gaps with unverified sources.
Follow along for the fifth learning need, coming next week.
About the Author
Laura Oxsen is a dual-licensed Professional Engineer and Certified Learning & Development Specialist, and the founder of Oxsen Learning. She built her training courses from real experience mentoring engineers through these exact workflows.
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