The Civil Engineering Academy Podcast

Not sure whether to go to grad school? Our guest today is Riley Post, a PhD Candidate who has been heavily involved in Water Resources for 10+ years operating reservoirs, locks, and dams! 😲 In this interview, he touches on how to decide between work experience versus academia, what may cause you to choose one over the other, and the value of the PE license for both (yes, you read that right…both!...

You can pass the Civil PE Exam as a repeat taker…if you go about it the right way. Today’s guest is Wade Broussard, who failed it on his first try, but instead of going on a downward spiral of negativity, he came up with a plan, became obsessed with it, and crushed his PE Transportation exam. In this episode, he dives into everything he did, from the headspace he was into his exam prep routine to...

If you’ve ever dreamed of starting your own engineering firm, stop everything right now and give this a listen! Scott Wible, PE, SE, had that goal ever since his college years, worked hard with the goal in mind from Day 1 to learn the skills and pass his exams, and now is the owner of Wible Engineering. Today, he details his own journey and all the things he did to get to this point — which you ca...

If you think you need to be studying every free second you find on your day in order to pass the PE Exam, think again. “What?! 😲” Here’s proof: Hannah Copeman crushed her Structural PE Exam on her first try doing the opposite. How, you ask? In this episode, she shares what worked for her, the realistic way to go about preparing for this thing, and how to kill it on exam day. It’s all in here! 😉...

If you keep failing your exams over and over again and have started to think you don't have “what it takes,” stop…right now! Our guest today is Makenzie Allen, who took her FE exam three times and her PE exam twice! What made all the difference in her final, successful attempts at each? She did something during her studies that set herself up for success — and you should do too. Tune in to Lea...

Ever wondered how you can work as a civil engineer for the federal government? Then check this out: my guest today is Alex Kolkena, a professional civil engineer who worked his way into the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. In this episode, he details his own steps, dives into the pros and cons of working for the US government, and answers all your questions about...

Do you feel like the work never ends? That you don’t you have enough quality time with your family? That you’re not as productive as before? If yes, then you might be stressed out. In this episode, Mark and I dive into how civil engineers can navigate the stress that comes with the work, from stress triggers and symptoms to ways to cope with it for your sanity. Tune in to Learn: Is Civil Engineeri...

If you plan to become a professional civil engineer, then this episode is for you! Today, Mark and I dive into the latest NCEES Squared report detailing the stats about its professional exams (aka your FE, PE, and SE exams), the current state of licensure in the country, and the organization's programs to help you track your PDHs and get licensed in other states — and even from other countries...

If you’ve ever thought of going into management roles or even venturing out on your own and starting your own firm, then this will serve you well. My guest today is Sol Rosenbaum, who went from engineer to manager to firm owner in his 17+ years in the energy field. He dives into each one of these roles to help you understand their pros and cons and decide what’s a better fit for you. Check this ou...

Want to go into Transportation Engineering? 🤔 Then this episode is a must! Our guest today is Paul Slone, a senior engineer with 31 years in the industry. He dives into the ins and outs of the field you need to consider, gives career advice you need to live by to set you up for success, and even details how much you can expect to make as a Transportation Engineer! 😉 Tune in to Learn: How much mo...

Passing the PE exam on the first try is no small feat. But passing it on the first try after being out of the industry for 10 years and as a single, full-time working mother of two kids, that’s a huge deal. And guess what? Today’s guest did just that! 😲 In this episode, Erin Friednman unpacks all the aspects and the lessons that went into and came out of this incredible journey. Tune in to Learn:...

Today’s guest is Ziad Mazboudi, a civil engineer with nearly 40 years of hands-on work experience in various projects, both in the private and public sectors, who also help with disaster and emergency responses. Building on his own successes and failures, he answers your most pressing career questions — and gives you the secrets to succeed at it. 😉 Tune in to Learn: The importance of hands-on wor...

Can you pass the PE Exam after receiving the news you failed…without taking it again? 🤔 That’s exactly what happened to today’s guest, Amanda McFarland! In this episode, she talks about her PE exam prep, detailing all the aspects that made her succeed and how on earth this happened to her. She also dives into her fascinating story of drastically switching career paths as a mother and the concerns...

All technical education is important to be a successful civil engineer — but not alone. Today’s guest is Yara Hammad, a bridge engineer who came all the way from Egypt and had to stretch out of her comfort zone to make it in this field. From going to grad school and passing her professional exams to dealing with technical challenges at work and being a woman in a male-dominated field, she dives in...

Do you work on the job site every day and think you don’t have time or energy left over to study for your PE exam? 🤔 Then think again! Our guest today is Alex Kuhn, a boots-on-the-ground construction manager who balanced preparing, taking, and passing his PE exam on his first try while working on some really massive and complex projects every single day. How did he do it? Give this episode a list...

Is civil engineering a good career choice? 🤔 In today’s episode, Dr. Ghanim Kashwani talks about why it is! He’s the first CEng in the UAE with both academic and hands-on experience, currently leading applied research efforts to translate academic discoveries into useful products for the industry. He also talks about the academic vs experience debate, the impact of AI, a topic engineer should stu...

Remote Work. Supply Chain issues. Rising interest rates. After all these Covid-19 side effects, what’s the state of the construction industry today? And most importantly, what’s ahead? What will change? What type of projects will boom? 🤔 That’s what Mark jumps on to talk about after attending a roundtable involving all three key players in the AEC industry. Give it a listen! 😉 Tune in to Learn:...

How about passing your PE exam on your first try but taking it twice? Confusing? 🤔 Today’s guest did just that! Ozzy Khan prepared for his PE exam for 13 months, while balancing getting married, moving to a new place, and working on the job site every day…all at the same time! He shares his exam experience, the best exam prep tips that boosted his results, and how The Ultimate Civil PE Review Cou...

Have you ever found yourself in the job hunt even though you have an outstanding resume? Today’s guest has some insights into overcoming these types of hurdles in your career. Craig Callewaert is an experienced engineer with lots of initials after his name. In this episode, he shares the lessons he learned as engineer and manager at big companies, as well as his views on the modern, software-based...

Today’s guest is living (and licensed) proof the way to pass your PE exam is by putting in the work. Period. With unconventional study hours and techniques most people would call “crazy,” Tharanga Dissanayaka passed his PE exam as a repeat taker on his second try. Is it really crazy — or crazy-brilliant? Tune in to Learn: The insane daily schedule he used to balance PE prep, full-time job, and fam...

Today’s guest is Cal Poly professor Dr. Hani Alzraiee. Prior to academia, he spent 17+ years working as an engineer and project manager in heavy and complex projects in the oil and gas industry. In this episode, he talks about what he learned from his own experience, both in school and in the field, that you can apply to your own career. Tune in to Learn: The 2 biggest threats to labor productivit...

Today’s guest is Tara McFarland, a Dam Engineer with 25 years in the industry who went through severe burnout that made her face both psychological and physical problems. In this episode, she shares her own experience of what it looked like from the inside and how she got back on her feet, as well as helps you find out whether you’re burning out and some tips to navigate these tough situations in...

How to solve the underrepresentation of women in STEM? According to today’s guest, by introducing girls to the field while still at a young age. Jamila Thompson is a civil engineer working in the tech industry who wrote the book Girls Can Be Engineers to empower girls to pursue a career in which gender stereotypes prevent them from even considering it. Tune in to Learn: Jamila's journey as a woman...

Stormwater is one of the many little-known sub-fields you can get into as a civil engineer. Is it a good fit for you? Today’s guest has all the answers. Jillian Berbakov is a stormwater engineer who graduated college with a business degree at 16, switched to engineering later on, and passed her PE exam as a full-time working mom! Tune in to Learn: Jillian's path graduating college in business at 1...

Have you been out of school for some time and think it makes it impossible for you to pass your exams? Think again! Today’s guest is Will Ludgate, who passed his FE exam after 9 years out of school. In this episode, he gives you the tools and techniques that worked for him to help you get the same result, whether you graduated 1, 10, or 20 years ago. Tune in to Learn: Will’s 9-year journey going f...