Tech-Fest at CSUN

Good News,

I never would have imagined working for a very large municipality but after running into a classmate at a job fair, I now am interested.

Let me back up a bit: I have always imagined working for a consulting firm focusing on hydraulic and hydrological engineering tasks, getting a PE license; all the while working on changing the world on my own time, with modest designs of forests that recharge groundwater while nurturing the environment in a time of environmental turbulence brought, or not brought on by human activities(honestly, I care less about blaming than being part of the solution). I used to even dream of creating a template for forest rehabilitation and groundwater recharge but I now believe the best that I may develop, in the meta sense, is a framework for diagnostics and recommendations to take to town hall meetings.

So, back to that large municipality. When I spoke with my friend Jim(Alias, I haven't gotten permission to use his real name yet), he explained how the department in which he worked was centered around the developing engineer. And that, new-hires went through a cycle of rotations that gave them exposure to several stages of the life of a CIP(capital improvements project) such as planning, construction and maintenance to name a few. To add further, and what I am most interested in, at the end of the 6 year cycle, 4 each at 18 months per each, the developing engineer has a good chance of joining the team where she/he belongs. And who knows, by the end of this cycle I may be designing CIPs aligned with my passion during my nine to five(dear God, wouldn't it be nice!).
If not, I am confident that hard work ethic, honesty and a friendly smile will find me in the hands of a good employer.

Thank you,

CH

Update, Spring 2020

Hello Again,
This is an update on my whirlwind of a last semester, full-time, at university. I feel like I'm coming out of the clouds to find solid ground on earth. Not giving up on dreams, but rather, getting a firm footing on which to take off from... when the time comes.
Thanks to my amazing family, wife and kids, I have the fortune to take a load heavy enough that it required approval from the Associate Dean of my college. As I have explained in previous writing, breaking into a niche field via a degree program that doesn't lend to it has put me on my heels for the last few years. Although... all is not for not, as much as I have been groomed outside the classroom for a career in water resources, thanks to all who have made this possible, I now will drop the grooming and focus on fundamentals:

- Graduate with a degree in civil engineering
- Take and pass the FE Exam and obtain an EIT Certificate
- Register and start prep work to pass the PE Exam.
- Find a job where: 1.) My passion will benefit the company's mission; 2.) I can work under a PE who is interested in guiding me on my path to becoming a Professional Engineer.

God willing, these goals(above) will happen this year.
At which time I can again take flight by:

- Getting certified in  Python Programming
- Continue project based learning of PCSWMM
- Applying for an online graduate program in environmental and water resources
- Continuing to set goals that will lead to being expert in watershed management, groundwater recharge, etc.

Thank you,

Carl Humphrey