Engineers are a key component to our operations in the AEC industry, and, at Southland, we redefine the engineering process to deliver solutions that are cost-responsible, constructable, and achieve greater. Our engineers solve complex challenges to meet both short and long-term goals for system performance, energy, and maintenance.
During a recent interview, Shawn Manley, Principal Engineer, and Chris Skoug, Managing Principal Engineer, provided insights on their journeys as engineering professionals, including the projects they've been able to be part of, the skills they've been able to hone, and mentoring the next generation. Their experiences offer a real‑world look at what engineering consists of — not just at Southland, but in the greater industry, including training, projects that contribute to a larger vision of creating optimal future-ready spaces, and preparing the next generation to succeed.
Experiences for professionals
Throughout their professional careers, Chris and Shawn have had the chance to work on different projects that they wouldn't have imagined working on early in their career. This hasn't only broadened their technical skillset, but has given them a sense of pride in applying what they've learned to future projects in the AEC industry.
"At the very beginning of my career at Southland, I was able to work on an airport hangar and air traffic control tower, which is pretty unusual," Chris stated, further explaining that he tries to apply these unique experiences to future projects.
Expanding on the variety of projects and how established Southland is as a company, Shawn says that at Southland, "There's not a job that's too large for us or too technical for us." With our projects spanning across the country and serving a variety of markets, our large and technical jobs continue to offer unique experiences for engineers.
Expanding mentorship opportunities
"One of the things we really try to do from a mentorship perspective is cross-disciplinary training, which then makes you a better engineer, but it also opens up opportunities within Southland, outside of engineering," Chris remarks.
Chris and Shawn believe that this training is invaluable for the next wave of engineering professionals and emphasize the importance of early careers engineering mentorship and taking advantage of learning opportunities as they're presented. This comes in handy when delivering top-tier engineering solutions and fully equips professionals to deliver the maximum value for projects.
Advice for early careers engineers
As Chris and Shawn have discovered, and as Southland continues to grow, there are plenty of projects to get involved in which provide a way to develop skillset and shape professional development.
While they have progressed throughout their careers, early careers professionals have sought out Chris and Shawn for advice on navigating the industry. These engineers have been more than happy to share any insights and pass down the knowledge they've amassed to lay the foundation for success.
"What is rewarding is that then other people within the company come and talk to me about my past experiences, because they're now getting ready to work on something that may be similar, so you then become the teacher," Chris notes.
Celebrating our engineers is a way to acknowledge the success of our collaborative efforts that not only defines Southland, but the true spirit of engineering for today's generation and the next.
Communication Specialist
As a Communication Specialist, Caroline Stratos supports the planning, creation, and day-to-day management of Southland's external content assets. From drafting and posting to social media channels, assisting with website content development and the implementation of SEO strategies, and supporting the execution of marketing and partnership campaigns, Caroline aims to strengthen Southland's visibility across digital channels and highlight the company's brand and projects.
