Why I Chose Civil Structural Engineering As My Career (It's Not What You Think)

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5 жыл бұрын

Why I chose civil structural engineering as my career (it's not what you think). Thanks to ASCE OC for inviting me to speak and promote the structural engineering profession to 80+ civil engineering college students at the ASCE OC Pathways Academy.
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Mat Picardal is a structural engineer at DCI Engineers. This video and this channel does not necessarily reflect the opinion nor beliefs of DCI Engineers. All thoughts expressed are purely his own observations and experiences.
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Пікірлер: 122

@MatPicardal 5 жыл бұрын

Why did you choose structural engineering or why do you want to go into structural engineering?

@codpwnss 5 жыл бұрын

Mat Picardal great videos. As a 3rd year undergrad I wanted to study structural bc it allows you to design and build never being stuck in a office.

@MatPicardal 5 жыл бұрын

That's awesome Leon!

@khaoula4057 5 жыл бұрын

i choose structural engineering because it is a thing that i want to do , build awesome bridge , skyscraper and make desing real .... i love my work ... thank you for this inspirational video .

@MatPicardal 5 жыл бұрын

I feel ya! Thanks for the support Chi.

@Jtabssssss 5 жыл бұрын

Passion and challenge 😁

@murtaza6542 5 жыл бұрын

You are the first person who actually helping students to undrestand what is really like to be a structural engineer. Great works man. It helps a lot. Keep it up

@MatPicardal 5 жыл бұрын

So glad I can help and thank you for the kind words.

@lisakaminski2335 4 жыл бұрын

Great story! I've been a structural engineer at a natural gas company for 13 years...and I feel like I didn't learn squat at school. It's so different in the real world. My take is that school only gives you the ticket (degree) to get the job. Most professors, in my humble opinion, are totally out of touch with the real world and my experience is that they don't usually even teach codes like ACI, ASCE 7 or IBC. I had one professor that taught the AISC steel code and that was my favorite class. My structural engineering professor didn't even mention ASCE 7 or IBC or anything. I didn't even know there were load cases, wind loads, seismic loads. This was not even mentioned in my class. I look back now and I am super frustrated that it wasn't even mentioned. It's even harder in the pipeline industry because you have to interpret the structural codes to fit pipelines and associated facilities....they aren't buildings or roads. I went back to school years later to start a masters and it was so much more fun and different. I swore I'd never go back to school...but I was sick of not having some "dots connected" with regards to my field and I was hoping to learn more. I challenged the teachers over and over and they didn't care for that. But so what? That's the difference...when you are a student the first go around, the teachers seem totally intimidating...but after working in the real world for 10+ years an going back...I'm like "come at me bro" to the teachers. I don't care. I figure I'm paying them to teach me. I often think the teachers try to push you to figure out how to do difficult problems on your own....but I'm sorry, most humans cannot just automatically understand things like a derivative or an integral, etc....without being shown a few times first. I have seriously questioned whether my "expert" professors actually knows how to do these things. I really think if they did, they'd show me...rather than trying to get me to show them. Needless to say I went back to school for a couple years and decided it wasn't worth my time. I have actually learned more from courses offered by software companies such as RISA. So that would be my recommendation. I am not a software rep...but that's the way of the world now. You need software to do these things efficiently. Time and Money is everything in the real world.

@MatPicardal 4 жыл бұрын

I agree for most schools. I went to Cal Poly, so it was required that the professors have their PE to be a professor, so they taught us the code and how to design. I went to grad school at UCSD, and yes, it was a lot more theoretical, but I found it important to get a better understanding of material behavior and more of the "why" the codes are the way they are. So, for me, doing both schools was great. I've gotten professors that you've mentioned that give you just difficult problems. It takes a really good professor to simplify a complicated concept, always appreciated my professors that did that. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

@meyou8830 3 жыл бұрын

I am a Civil Enginnering student currently. I failed 2 courses in my first year. They are hand-drawing courses where we how to do sections and how to draw 3-D from the views. As engineer, do you think these courses are really important for civil engineers? I really hate drawing by hands instead of software😭

@liekdarmawan2977 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the stories. This gives a different sight 👏

@c.j.5751 3 жыл бұрын

@@liekdarmawan2977 yourwelcome

@mamatapandey6073 3 жыл бұрын

@@meyou8830 nah they aren't much important...

@faisalalz17 Жыл бұрын

So glad I found this channel! Thank you!!

@-andyzaz- 5 жыл бұрын

Great video man! I’m currently studying structural engineering at the undergraduate level and I appreciate you taking the time to make this kind of content. Keep it up!

@MatPicardal 5 жыл бұрын

Glad I could help!

@jacobD63 5 жыл бұрын

You really are an inspiration to me! I just started my sophomore year in Civil Engineering. I am planning on doing a concentration in Structural Engineering. I have always been fascinated with buildings and construction and all the technical details that goes into creating and building reliable infrastructure! I used to be really bad about comparing myself to people who are smarter then me and who are just naturally really smart. Thanks for inspiring me to continue to work hard!

@MatPicardal 5 жыл бұрын

So glad I could help Vince! And don't just rely on professors to teach you, ask for help, office hours, study groups, get a study buddy to check each others work, look for online tutorials, find Schaum Outline type books that simplify subjects.

@vaughnmanagan2740 4 жыл бұрын

Good talk. Thanks for bringing up the bridge looks like the moment diagram. We tend to make things level, plumb and square to best use store-bought building blocks. However, the most efficient and beautiful designs follow those simple diagrams we learn in statics.

@MatPicardal 4 жыл бұрын

Exactly!

@agnesk2943 3 жыл бұрын

This video gave me hope, thank you for your content.🙏🏽

@liekdarmawan2977 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for the kind motivation and stories sir! This really builds again my motivation to be better, and better 👏 i wish you the best of success in future.

@bunbun-pu5rf 2 жыл бұрын

Hello Mat! You are so humble and genious.

@aldo7962 5 жыл бұрын

I can relate! Thanks for this

@MatPicardal 5 жыл бұрын

Glad you could relate!

@jovieann9677 4 жыл бұрын

Im losing faith in myself bc i have fails and C's too. Im also struggling in my review rn, im losing hope. This video motivated me. thank you for being an inspiration.

@MatPicardal 4 жыл бұрын

So glad I could help! And don't just rely on professors to teach you, ask for help, office hours, study groups, get a study buddy to check each others work, look for online tutorials, find Schaum Outline type books that simplify subjects. I had to stop being a lone wolf and ask for help, that's how I made it out of grad school.

@NetSkillNavigator 4 жыл бұрын

Hi classmate! Laban lang! Ma-engineer lagi 'ta one day. 🤩 Keep learning.

@heather8197 4 жыл бұрын

Most of the time i've found that its the teachers fault because they don't know how to teach. My experience has been that good teachers are rare. For example someone could spend their entire life learning from bad teachers and still not understand, or a few minutes from a truly good one and go aha!:) I get it!:) in a few minutes:) Teachers need to get better (the one Mat mentioned in the video seemed immoral and the teacher should have felt bad not Mat) and programs need to make more sense in conjunction with the real world. I was fortunate that my building construction program was very real world oriented, it was so very worth it and then some however i do know that some programs or courses in school can be a waste of peoples money and time and are not properly geared toward reality. I recently became interested in structural engineering because i learned about it through building classes and through real on site work experience, so i started looking up programs and realized that they might end up being absolutely non-applicable to a real life job, or at least mostly. I realized this right away thanks to my real world building experience which exposed us to real world engineering scenerios, the actual formulas and equations used specific to the actual problems people come across etc.... and it didn't require a ton of math classes. It really requires the specific knowledge specific to the particular field your studyng, memorize and apply that, not 10 mostly unrelated math classes for 5 years. So i'm kind of bummed because i don't want to put money and time into inadequate programs but yet i want to get into it more. (i think it was also another one of Mats vids, i apologzie if I'm wrong that said something like if you think you know how to be an engineer at an actual job in the real world when you get out of school you don't know shit!) so.... yah, i think many of the programs need to improve. Good luck, i hope you find good teachers and perhaps might be one yourself someday:)

@falcon5860 3 жыл бұрын

@jovie ann. Don't think about marks too much. I'm studying civil in İndia and my gpa is B+. Despite working hard, i couldn't improve my gpa from B+ to A. Then i understood that if you try to learn the subject for the sake of your career, learning will be fun and you will remember what you studied. And in future you are gonna be a good engineer. Keep it up 💪

@thundermouth2504 3 жыл бұрын

Laban lang! Kaya natin to. 3rd yr civil engg student here.

@thups9552 4 жыл бұрын

Keep doing what you do brother👍🏻 It's helping a lot of people

@muhammadazeem2684 4 жыл бұрын

Amazing... so true about the developing nations... In Pakistan we are still using UBC-1997 based Pakistan Building code for seismic design which needs to be updated now...

@thanaamarabeh525 3 жыл бұрын

This helped me a lot, I had a similer struggle..thank you!

@engineerferns2050 5 жыл бұрын

Hi Mat! Great to see a youtuber with the same profession as me. I specialize in Project Planning and Management but I think more opportunities would be present in the structural engineering field for me. I am at the crossroads in my career as to what field of Civil Engineering I should specialize. Great to see you here!

@MatPicardal 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@sriteja3020 4 жыл бұрын

This is amazing!

@johakazumary5297 Жыл бұрын

Thanks a lot Mat! I am graduating my first degree in civil engineering, was looking for this kind of inspiration on what to take at masters, i real like structures !!! love from Tanzania

@samuelroman2642 3 жыл бұрын

thank you for this. it is very motivational.

@crizjohnmartinez2180 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this video. Im an civil eng'g student here in the phil and like you im not doing well in the basic like statics but im trying my best tho.

@MatPicardal 5 жыл бұрын

Tough for me at first also, but immersion helps. When you're doing it for every class after your first statics class, it becomes easier.

@javieragonzalez348 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this.

@MatPicardal 3 жыл бұрын

You’re welcome!

@shyvaeebo141 4 жыл бұрын

thank u sir Mat. ur videos really help me to continue my study. btw Im from Philippines.

@MatPicardal 4 жыл бұрын

Glad I could help!

@panky424 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much

@bunbun-pu5rf 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Mat!

@edwardzabala9053 5 жыл бұрын

Loved the video, Mat! I had a similar path as you. But, like you, I have managed to make a living doing structural engineering. Like I tell all would be structural engineers, it's not about how smart you are, it's really about how tough you are.

@MatPicardal 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks Edward! Very true.

@meyou8830 3 жыл бұрын

It is hard to be tough. I am studying civil engineering. I failed my second year at university and I am repeating it this year. I wonder if studying civil engineering will enhance my personality. What do you think? Does studying Engineering make any improvements in its student or it is only knowledge for career?

@danishirfan786tiger7 4 жыл бұрын

Mat, you doing a great job. I am same professional as you are, but we mostly do steel design, kindly do video on steel design, and also tell us which software & books are helpful, specifically in india

@Bhomasolini 3 жыл бұрын

Nice, static was one of my best subjects and I really liked it. I guess I should give structural eng a try.

@MatPicardal 3 жыл бұрын

Awesome, maybe even bridge structural engineering since you're enjoying traffic!

@sammythesalmon745 3 жыл бұрын

Im a CE student and I am worried about fluid mechanics and statistics for engineers and this video really motivated me to keep my head up thank you

@MatPicardal 3 жыл бұрын

Plenty of learning resources online!

@rebeccabriske981 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your videos! I just graduated from a community college with an Associates in Architectural Commercial Design in Wisconsin. I have been toying with the idea of furthering my education and going for Structural Engineering. I'm not sure how many of my credits will transfer. I also got a C in my Trig class but ended with a 3.1 GPA. In your professional opinion, do you think I will be able to get into an engineering school?

@MatPicardal 4 жыл бұрын

3.1 GPA for engineering is still pretty good, especially if you can back it up with extracurriculars. You got this! Building relationships/helping professors with their projects/teachers assistant etc. will give you an edge to everyone else that just goes to school and go home. It will make you stand out if your GPA isn't the highest.

@wyong6198 4 жыл бұрын

This video really motivate me to become structural eng after graduate... Tq

@mysteriousfooding 5 жыл бұрын

Sir it's being pleasure to watch u..I am from India and I have just completed graduated from civil engineering and I have knowledge of etab, RCDC,safe please guide it's always difficult for freshers

@MatPicardal 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your support Vikas, what specific guidance do you need?

@dysonspreybar4903 4 жыл бұрын

I got a c on a math test and almost cried... You sir are made of tough stuff.

@damomani6905 2 жыл бұрын

I loved Structural Engineering because I like to visually think how things work.....I also liked calculations and physics being applied. The best book is Engineering Mechanics of solids by Egor Popov....The field of Structural Engineering is also so vast....you have Concrete structural design, Structural steel design, timber structures etc....Tall buildings, Dams, Water tanks, Industrial structures, Machine foundations, Cold formed steel frames etc. The only thing I do not like in Structural Engineering is that it is not that much challenging...because we normally design a building for extreme load events like severe earth quake or severe winds that could occur once in 100 years....So even if someone does a mistake in load calculations, the structure will be safe because mostly it will have just the Dead and Live loads....Thats why after more than 12 years in structural Engineering, I m trying to move to more applied mechanics like in Aerospace industry.

@francescos7361 Жыл бұрын

I have a master s degree in engineer and os very interesting model bridge and buildings BUT extremely difficult for Irons and aluminium use.

@julianpulido8827 5 жыл бұрын

Hi Mat, I am a senior in high school who is interested in structural engineering, do you have any advice for me in that would help pursuing this career. Secondly, do you think taking construction classes or working/volunteering in construction would help in any way? Thank you for the video.

@MatPicardal 5 жыл бұрын

Hi Julian. Get internships as soon as possible and get involved (actually help out, take a board position, don't just attend the meetings) as soon as possible in your student civil engineering chapters/organizations/competitions. It will help you stand out from everyone else when it comes to getting an internship. Also, if you ever run into professors that don't teach well, don't blame it on the professor and say the subject is too hard. There's plenty of resources online (and books that simplify engineering concepts) that you can learn on your own. If you want to work in buildings/bridges, yes, absolutely construction classes/internships would be AWESOME. That's one of the top weaknesses of structural engineers just getting into the industry, they have no construction experience, so it's difficult to design something if you don't even have an idea on how to construct it. If you put construction classes/experience/internships on your resume to a structural engineering firm, that's a definite plus.

@mangayidagoloh2380 4 жыл бұрын

i really love your page

@MatPicardal 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your support!

@jamichealh4606 4 жыл бұрын

I follow in your foots steps‼

@MatPicardal 4 жыл бұрын

You can do it!

@sami786samandari Жыл бұрын

Dear sir, I am really studying many things even though I am graduating soon from structural engineering in masters but the sad point is, there are allot of things to know and study … I really lost my confidence beside I love structural engineering so much ~ could you please guide me from where shall I start and how to have a good knowledge of things I will really appreciate your comments here Thank you

@reshabpugalia1350 3 жыл бұрын

I to dream to be a structural engineer but because of the ongoing pandemic no one is hiring a fresher/ Graduate every one wants experience. I m just losing hopes day by day.

@janlowelllucena3704 4 жыл бұрын

I'm a Civil Engineer here in the Philippines. 🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭 I passed the Board Exam last November 2019. I really want to change my career path, currently I'm working as a QA/QC Engineer and I want to become a Structural Engineer. 😟 Here in the Philippines, it's difficult to find a Junior SE job where you will be trained by your Seniors. I hope I would find one. 🙏

@geronimodaliva3447 2 жыл бұрын

Do you really want to become a Structural Engineer?

@kenlua6064 5 жыл бұрын

Hi Mat! What country are you from?

@MatPicardal 5 жыл бұрын

Hi Ken, I'm from U.S., California.

@shazebmirza9336 4 жыл бұрын

Hi mat. I am a fresh civil engg graduate (15-19). During my studies i have failed mechanics of structures , theory of structures , concrete design (almoat every structural subject). I want to grow my career as a structural engineering specialist . My home town lies on the "C zone" (sesmic zone) . But the problem is i am not good at studying structural subjects . I dont know what the problem really is i want to be a structural engineer but somehow i fail the structure subjects 😭

@meyou8830 3 жыл бұрын

I am also a civil engineering student . The only advice I can tell you: find a good resourse/book/videos/professors who teach well and the practice solving the problems and practice and practice.

@sarathyarumugasamy2971 5 жыл бұрын

Please give me some tips how to develop in this structural field

@MatPicardal 5 жыл бұрын

Sarathy, what exactly do you want to develop to? If you're a steel detailer, you want to learn how to get into the structural engineering industry?

@sarathyarumugasamy2971 5 жыл бұрын

Yes sir i want to enter in structural engineering field

@prajaktasawant1469 5 жыл бұрын

Hello sir This is prajakta graduate fresher I want to do structural engineering, l got internship in structural firm. my question is that should I do it or do my master's first ?

@MatPicardal 5 жыл бұрын

Internship, at least that's what I would say in the U.S. Best is doing the internship while doing the master's.

@RiazAhmad-uk9cc 2 жыл бұрын

Matt how’d you catch up after doing poorly in some of your core classes? That must’ve been a nightmare.

@MatPicardal 2 жыл бұрын

Lots of extra studying and studying other resources.

@Allaboutscience652 4 жыл бұрын

hi sir i am under graduate student i love structure engineering . i wish i wanna be good structure engineer thats my big dream plz sir how i wana be good structure engineer

@sarathyarumugasamy2971 5 жыл бұрын

Hi sir I'm from India, as a steel detailer

@MatPicardal 5 жыл бұрын

Hi Sarathy, that's great!

@SunilYadav-er9xe 5 жыл бұрын

hello sir.good morning I am sunil kumar from India,I am an undergraduate civil engineer.

@MatPicardal 5 жыл бұрын

welcome!

@relaxwithme6426 3 жыл бұрын

What is the difference of Civil engineering and structural engineering?

@hadrianaugustus5712 3 жыл бұрын

Structural engineering is a branch of civil engineering. Civil engineering could be structural, traffic, geotechnical, water resources and environmental, and construction

@user-qg4fk9yb1h 3 жыл бұрын

@@hadrianaugustus5712 Is civil engineering a undergraduate degree or graduate degree? The reason I ask is because where I'm from the University I want to go to only offers civil engineering for undergraduates and structural engineering for graduates.

@mr.pickles8285 4 жыл бұрын

To keep my celibacy intact until after COVID-19

@muhammadazeem2684 4 жыл бұрын

Sir I'm a structural engineer professional from Pakistan. We are a developing nation. I want to connect my research institute with the industry. There are so many problems and obsolete methods still carrying out in our industry... but our research institutes are just busy in solving first world countries problems to get publications... This is the biggest issue. Please recommend me some solution. Thanks

@MatPicardal 4 жыл бұрын

Muhammad, I think you're more qualified than me to answer since you experience it first hand, I would love to hear your thoughts/ideas on this.

@muhammadazeem2684 4 жыл бұрын

Sir your lectures are very inspiring and motivating. Thank you Sir for giving me opportunity to share my thought. Like I mentioned our Building code is based on Uniform Building Code 1997 which categorize the whole country into different seismic zones. Whereas in International Building codes they have given the spectral acceleration values Ss S1 for almost every corner of USA. But in Pakistan Building code, an area designated as zone-4 has a high possibility that many cities in that zone-4 could have low spectral acceleration values Ss S1 and still we are over designing it according to zone-4. This zoning method is questionable and that's why ubc97 is obsolete in USA for seismic design. I want that spectral acceleration studies should be conducted in Pakistan, so alot of money could be saved in Building/Infrastructure construction by taking the exact spectral acceleration values instead of just declaring it zone-4 and overdesigning it. We are poor country and can't afford overdesigning cost. In my capacity I’ve approached to my university and inquired about this issue to conduct research projects to justify this problem and raise it on national level. So we can upgrade Pakistan Building Code and set its basis on International Building Code for efficient structural design. Sir please let me know what are your recommendations.. what I can do more… Sir kindly suggest me some good books too…

@avy948 3 жыл бұрын

@harisali2229 3 жыл бұрын

... and I regret that I wasted my precious five years by choosing Civil Engineering 😌 There is a huge gap between what we study at universities and the skills that market requires....so I must say "CHOOSE LIFE NOT ENGINEERING".

@mariamabdu5069 2 жыл бұрын

Why do you mean by this? Can you elaborate?

@kristinesdad9676 3 жыл бұрын

Whether in peacetime or War, democracy or communism or otherwise, a Civil Engineer is always needed. They are indispensable

@khachoangpham726 4 жыл бұрын

thought you re not popular as much as that

@MatPicardal 4 жыл бұрын

It's embarrassing at times :)

@balaportejean7015 5 жыл бұрын

Thk you Jesus loves you. Believe in Him and repent.

@meyou8830 3 жыл бұрын

The Lord created everything and He alone is worthy of worship. He did not leave the people he created in vain, but rather sent prophets to them, such as Noah, Ibrahim, Moses and Jesus, the last of whom was Muhammad who brought Islam whose pillars are five: To bear witness that there is no God but Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God, and to establish prayer, to pay zakat (a certain amount that is paid annually), to fast one month in the year (by refraining from eating, drinking, and intercourse from the rising of the sun to its sunset ) and Hajj (specific actions and sayings in Mecca once in a lifetime). These five pillars have a structure above which there are many good works, and its basis and rule if Faith which have 6 pillars: belief in Allaah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and the Divine Decree, both good and bad.