Happy National Engineers Week! Founded by the National Society of Professional Engineers in 1951, “EWeek” is dedicated to increasing public awareness of STEM careers, especially among youth. EWeek is now a formal coalition of more than 70 engineering, education, and cultural societies, and more than 50 corporations and government agencies. Every year, this week-long event reaches thousands of schools, businesses, and community groups across the U.S.
With a mission to be the most skilled builder in America, Sundt is proud to celebrate EWeek, and we are invested in creating a diverse and highly skilled engineering workforce that will carry our industry into the future. Husband and wife employee-owners Amy and Chad Yount are at the forefront of this effort. Both work for Sundt’s Transportation Group, Amy as Group Quality Manager and Chad as Area Manager with a focus on San Antonio and South Texas. We sat down with Amy and Chad to discuss the impact of their work, as well as their recent decision to earn their Professional Engineer (P.E.) license.
What drew you guys to this field, and how long have you been with Sundt?
Chad: I got into construction because I wanted to see the fruits of my labor. It’s great to work on something from beginning to end, and then to see the community and the public use whatever you build, whether it be a bridge, a park, or an airport. There’s nothing like seeing the end product of years of hard work. And I’ve been able to do that with Sundt now for 12 years.
Amy: I’m a little different in that I didn’t know what career to pursue coming out of high school. I knew I liked math and science, which led to engineering courses in college. My dad was a geotechnical engineer, so that mindset definitely runs in my family. But I also really enjoy the work and solving problems. I wanted a practical career, one where I would be valued, where my skills would always be in demand. My role with Sundt definitely checks all of those boxes. Just last week I celebrated my fifth year of working for Sundt.
Why did you choose to pursue your Professional Engineer (P.E.) license now, and why together?
Amy: Well, I peer-pressured him. Hah! I mean, I’d been thinking about it ever since I graduated. About a year ago, Joe Dooley (Texas Regional Manager) started encouraging us to do this, especially as we pursue more alternative project delivery method (ADPM) work. A few of us on staff made a pact. Our project engineer Devin Kilbarger said he was considering doing his EIT (Engineer in Training), so I said, ‘If you’re doing that, then I’ll go for my P.E.’ Then I told Chad he might as well do his too, and he decided to go for it.
Chad: Right, and ever since graduating, it’s been one of those personal goals for me as well. Over the course of time, life happens, and you just don’t have the time. So now, 12 years later, I figured it was as good a time as any. I thought, ‘Hey, if my wife is going to be studying on the weekends, I might as well be too,’ and it made sense for both of us to be in the same boat.
How does having licensed P.E.s on staff make us a more attractive builder for transportation clients?
Amy: The Transportation Group is expanding our number of alternative project delivery method (APDM) pursuits. On the quality side, state departments of transportation are now requiring that project quality managers have their P.E. for certain large APDM projects, which is a shift for our industry. So, having your P.E. builds credibility with our owners and designers.
Chad: Right, and to add to that: from an owner’s perspective, if the contractor running your job is responsible for design as well, you want that person in charge to also have design knowledge—not just scheduling and running work, but the ability to tell whether what the designer is giving you is right. Also, especially on these CMAR projects, we’re going into meetings with designers on day one. They often don’t know who you are or whether you know your stuff. So, having your P.E. gives you that credibility to present ideas and challenge others when necessary. Rather than wait months to establish that trust, it’s already there at the start.
What does it take to earn your P.E.? And did Sundt support you in that process?
Amy: To qualify in Texas, you need to have a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, four years of experience working under a P.E., three references, a background check, pass an ethics test that includes engineering law, and your EIT certificate. And all of that’s before you can even sit for the P.E. test. To prepare for the actual test, Chad and I purchased test prep materials and studied for about 15 hours a week for three months. The test has a 57% pass rate for Civil, so it was pretty exciting when we both passed. Having Sundt’s support and the flexibility to perform my job from San Antonio was a huge help too, not just with the process of getting my P.E. but with several other things as well.
Chad: One takeaway we both had from this process is to not procrastinate. We’d encourage younger engineers to go for it. Don’t wait until several years after you graduate—there’s definitely an advantage to doing it sooner rather than later in your career. Also, having your P.E. is not always required for every project, but changes are coming in our industry, and it can open a lot of doors for you. The company you work for makes a big difference too. Throughout this process, Sundt has supported us 100%. From paying for the test to getting us access to reference materials, to giving us certain days off for study, they really set us up for success.