Entry Level Roadway Designer:
Mike Hardman
College:
Bucknell University
Degree:
B.S., Civil Engineering
What is a typical day at HRG like for you?
What's really great is that everyday is unique. Most days, I'll be designing roadway alignments, drainage networks, erosion control plans, etc.; other days, I'll be in the field making measurements and taking pictures of the site. Yet other days, I'll be meeting with clients and stakeholders about a project.
What brought you to HRG?
Word of mouth from highly respected engineers brought me to HRG. My adviser at Bucknell spoke very highly about the company and provided me with an internship opportunity during the summer before my senior year. At the end of that summer, I was offered a job after graduation and, while I knew I loved the company, I still asked for advice. My uncle is an experienced civil engineer for the federal government, and he had nothing but good things to say about HRG.
What has been your favorite project so far, and what responsibilities did you have on this project?
We are doing a roadway relocation project in downtown Hershey, and that has definitely been one of my favorite projects to date. It's really cool to be able to work on a road in a town that I've been in so many times growing up. Some of my primary responsibilities include roadway pavement design, proposed drainage network design, and various quantity calculations, among others.
What do you like best about your job?
What I enjoy most is how every day provides a new experience. I don't get bored with my work. It doesn't matter how common the type of project you're working on is, each location provides different challenges, and it is really rewarding to have a hand in designing a roadway project.
What skills have you gained since you began working at HRG?
I have learned so many things about engineering since I started working. My professors at school told us right before graduation that we've learned very little about engineering the past four years. They said that everything we've learned was just preparing us to be able to learn on the job. They were 100% correct because the majority of the skills that I use at work I have learned on the job. I've learned several new computer design programs, new and different ways to design roads, erosion control methods, drainage network design methods, and lots more.
In which areas do you wish to grow?
The biggest thing I really want to do is to be able to work on a project through every stage of it's design, from the very beginning to the very end. There is a big job that we're just starting right now that, if I stay on the design team for the next couple of years, I will see the job from start to finish. I feel that will help me so much in future work as an engineer.
What would you tell upcoming graduates is the best reason to work for HRG?
Well I've actually already told a recent graduate about why it's great to work for HRG, and he now works here. I told him, and would tell others, that this company is top-notch in producing the best quality work possible. I told him that I truly feel proud whenever someone asks me where I work and I'm able to be able to say that I work at HRG. If the person I'm talking to is at all familiar with engineering companies, they always recognize who HRG is and always say what a well-respected company it is.
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