8 answers
Movindee
Student
Macquarie Fields, New South Wales, Australia
1
Question
Asked
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How do I improve my communication skills to become a confident and a successful engineer in the field of construction?
Hi I'm a final year civil engineering student at University of Technology Sydney. I'm a fee paying international student who's first language is not English. However I speak very good english since I had the exposure to it. How do I improve my communication skills to become a confident and a successful engineer in the field of constriction?
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8 answers
Eric Packer
Structural engineer
77
Answers
Boise, Idaho
Updated
Eric’s Answer
Movindee, first, I want to commend you for the concise and clear way in which you communicated your question. As a civil engineer, you will engage with project owners and representatives, architects and other designers, and with the construction team. Each will approach communication differently and each will have different priorities of information that is needed in order to make decisions and realize the project goals. Understanding the needs of the various stakeholders and team members will help guide your communication to be effective. I find that communication is best when the needs of others are fully understood (i.e., the skill of listening) and when we share needed information with others in a concise and clear manner - that is using enough information (words - written or spoken, diagrams, sketches, charts, etc.) to convey what is needed for others to understand a particular issue or concept without overloading others with too much communication or information. This is something that you can begin to practice now; however, you may need to use some creativity in order to identify the areas where you can practice, whether at school, in home life, with friends, or at work. All the best with your final year of studies.
Joanne Williams
Associate Professor
11
Answers
Olivet, Michigan
Updated
Joanne’s Answer
When someone is an expert in their field - it means a lot of things/skills.
The most important, I think, is confidence - the ability to trust your knowledge, be honest when you do
not know, be curious to learn more and involve others in your growth.
Americans tend to rush into speech and response. We know, however, that a pause,
a nod and then a collection of thoughts delivers more purposeful, proper responses.
The other way to be confident is to practice. Be involved in conversation. Engage with others.
Ask questions. Read outloud. Be you.
The most important, I think, is confidence - the ability to trust your knowledge, be honest when you do
not know, be curious to learn more and involve others in your growth.
Americans tend to rush into speech and response. We know, however, that a pause,
a nod and then a collection of thoughts delivers more purposeful, proper responses.
The other way to be confident is to practice. Be involved in conversation. Engage with others.
Ask questions. Read outloud. Be you.
John Fening
Occupational Safety, Health Manager
37
Answers
Bremerton, Washington
Updated
John’s Answer
Improving your communication skills. using a language not your own. This is a very difficult problem to address. I'd recommend that you look up Toastmasters International wed site and see if they have a "club" near you that suits your personality and goals
FYI - Toastmasters is a global organization that helps people improve their communication and leadership skills. They normally have monthly meetings, depending on the club. There is a fee but I believe that this will cover the books but don't quote me as I join them back in 1990 to improve me language skills and public speaking positions. I learned leadership and management from my 21 year career in the US Navy. But speaking to an audience of my peers or Naval Officers was something I could not do professionally until help from Toastmasters.
So good luck.
John
FYI - Toastmasters is a global organization that helps people improve their communication and leadership skills. They normally have monthly meetings, depending on the club. There is a fee but I believe that this will cover the books but don't quote me as I join them back in 1990 to improve me language skills and public speaking positions. I learned leadership and management from my 21 year career in the US Navy. But speaking to an audience of my peers or Naval Officers was something I could not do professionally until help from Toastmasters.
So good luck.
John
Trenia Morton-Scannell
1
Answer
Updated
Trenia’s Answer
Congratulations on your accomplishments! If you feel you need more experience with communicating, try joining speaking groups, or something like 'Toast Master's' , where you can be exposed to lots of topics and Also get experience Public Speaking! Our even better, start a group yourself with other people who might be experiencing the same thing!
Just search "Toastmasters groups near me" and join the one that best suits your schedule!
Good luck!
Just search "Toastmasters groups near me" and join the one that best suits your schedule!
Good luck!
Sheng-Che Lin
Site engineer
1
Answer
Hsinchu, Taiwan
Updated
Sheng-Che’s Answer
Hello Movindee,
With a year's worth of hands-on experience in a construction company back in my hometown, I've learned that language barriers aren't as significant as we often perceive them to be. Interestingly, the language of expertise is universally understood, regardless of geographical or linguistic differences. As a young site engineer, I too faced challenges in communicating with the workers, even though we shared the same native language. This was primarily due to the vast chasm between theoretical knowledge and practical application.
However, I've come to realize that experience trumps everything else when it comes to building confidence. Your proficiency in English is certainly a strength, but it's the hands-on experience that will truly boost your self-assurance. So, my advice to you is to approach your work with an open mind, constantly striving to learn more about construction and planning in Civil Engineering. By doing so, you'll be able to converse with the workers in the 'field language' they're familiar with. Plus, they'll be more than willing to share their knowledge with you, helping you grow in your profession.
With a year's worth of hands-on experience in a construction company back in my hometown, I've learned that language barriers aren't as significant as we often perceive them to be. Interestingly, the language of expertise is universally understood, regardless of geographical or linguistic differences. As a young site engineer, I too faced challenges in communicating with the workers, even though we shared the same native language. This was primarily due to the vast chasm between theoretical knowledge and practical application.
However, I've come to realize that experience trumps everything else when it comes to building confidence. Your proficiency in English is certainly a strength, but it's the hands-on experience that will truly boost your self-assurance. So, my advice to you is to approach your work with an open mind, constantly striving to learn more about construction and planning in Civil Engineering. By doing so, you'll be able to converse with the workers in the 'field language' they're familiar with. Plus, they'll be more than willing to share their knowledge with you, helping you grow in your profession.
Jenna Duffy
Assurance Senior Manager
1
Answer
Boston, Massachusetts
Updated
Jenna’s Answer
Hi Movindee
So whilst I am not in the construction industry, nor am I an engineer for that matter, I do think communicating with impact is a skill that’s relevant and transferable between industries.
Practice - it’s important to practice your communication in different settings, and with different audiences. Whilst sometimes uncomfortable, asking people for feedback is important so you can identify what you’re doing well, and what areas you maybe need to work on. Things to consider is the pace you’re speaking at, the language and tone you’re using, the volume of your voice and the content you’re articulating.
Exposure - watch how people present themselves and how they communicate their points of view/information. Did you understand what they were taking about? And if so, why - what did they do to make their point clear. Those who are successful and skilled communicators will tailor their language and content to their audience. For example, the content and language they will use to approach an establish professional in the field may be different to how they would discuss a topic with someone fresh out of college without the experience.
Preparation - taking the time to prepare for meetings and presentations to ensure you’re confident in whatever your topic you’re discussing is important. Having bullet points to refer to and an agenda to follow can help keep you on track and ensure you get your point across; and thinking back to the first point, don’t hesitate to do a practice run with people you trust in your network in advance of a meeting/presentation.
Hope this helps!
So whilst I am not in the construction industry, nor am I an engineer for that matter, I do think communicating with impact is a skill that’s relevant and transferable between industries.
Practice - it’s important to practice your communication in different settings, and with different audiences. Whilst sometimes uncomfortable, asking people for feedback is important so you can identify what you’re doing well, and what areas you maybe need to work on. Things to consider is the pace you’re speaking at, the language and tone you’re using, the volume of your voice and the content you’re articulating.
Exposure - watch how people present themselves and how they communicate their points of view/information. Did you understand what they were taking about? And if so, why - what did they do to make their point clear. Those who are successful and skilled communicators will tailor their language and content to their audience. For example, the content and language they will use to approach an establish professional in the field may be different to how they would discuss a topic with someone fresh out of college without the experience.
Preparation - taking the time to prepare for meetings and presentations to ensure you’re confident in whatever your topic you’re discussing is important. Having bullet points to refer to and an agenda to follow can help keep you on track and ensure you get your point across; and thinking back to the first point, don’t hesitate to do a practice run with people you trust in your network in advance of a meeting/presentation.
Hope this helps!
Akerke Izetay
36
Answers
Almaty, Almaty Province, Kazakhstan
Updated
Akerke’s Answer
Hello Movindee 🤗
Construction, perhaps one of the most ancient professions in the world. From the designs of bridges and crossing, to water supply and purification systems, builder engineers have a constant impact on the lives of most people in the world. Thus, we can highlight and see 5 main skills for a builder engineer who should have a person who wants to be an engineer builder.
5 Essential Skills for a Civil Engineer
Technical skills.
A good construction engineer must have a perfect knowledge of mathematics and physics, since these are precisely the sciences that allow him to identify and solve any engineering problems. Unless an engineer knows and can accurately determine all possible loads on a bridge or other structure, I would not want to be anywhere near that bridge or structure.
A construction engineer must be a specialist in his field; he must be able to work with topographic surveys, maps, drawings and models. An engineer must be able to foresee all possible problems and find ways to solve them.
Project management.
At the moment when a problem arises, the engineer is the one who can take responsibility for resolving all issues. It is this that is common to all people involved in the project to solve the assigned tasks. What is important is that a construction engineer is able to find an approach to any task and at the same time manage a diverse team of professionals, maintaining the trust of clients.
Civil engineers must also evaluate the work of other professionals and ensure that they work in accordance with applicable rules and regulations within the framework of laws and standards. They also need to ensure that they are working within established budgets and deadlines.
Communication skills.
In the field of construction, perhaps more than in other engineering fields, the ability to communicate and interact effectively with people is valuable and quite important. Whether it is management or working with a client, an engineer must clearly convey his ideas and give the right direction. There should be no ambiguity in an engineer's words or actions. He must also be able to listen and benefit from the ideas of other team members.
Creation.
In general, it can be said that the role of a structural engineer is to apply and implement technical principles to carry out projects within the built environment. In most cases, this requires a certain level of creativity. From finding ways to reduce CO2 emissions to building a trampoline bridge, creativity is key.
Critical thinking. A civil engineer is often faced with complex problems and he must be able to find an effective solution to these problems. An engineer must be able to evaluate all the possible pros and cons of possible solutions and correctly compare them in order to choose the best solution to the problem.
Generally, a civil engineer must have a wide range of skills, and this list is by no means complete. But these five skills are the most important for an engineer.
Construction, perhaps one of the most ancient professions in the world. From the designs of bridges and crossing, to water supply and purification systems, builder engineers have a constant impact on the lives of most people in the world. Thus, we can highlight and see 5 main skills for a builder engineer who should have a person who wants to be an engineer builder.
5 Essential Skills for a Civil Engineer
Technical skills.
A good construction engineer must have a perfect knowledge of mathematics and physics, since these are precisely the sciences that allow him to identify and solve any engineering problems. Unless an engineer knows and can accurately determine all possible loads on a bridge or other structure, I would not want to be anywhere near that bridge or structure.
A construction engineer must be a specialist in his field; he must be able to work with topographic surveys, maps, drawings and models. An engineer must be able to foresee all possible problems and find ways to solve them.
Project management.
At the moment when a problem arises, the engineer is the one who can take responsibility for resolving all issues. It is this that is common to all people involved in the project to solve the assigned tasks. What is important is that a construction engineer is able to find an approach to any task and at the same time manage a diverse team of professionals, maintaining the trust of clients.
Civil engineers must also evaluate the work of other professionals and ensure that they work in accordance with applicable rules and regulations within the framework of laws and standards. They also need to ensure that they are working within established budgets and deadlines.
Communication skills.
In the field of construction, perhaps more than in other engineering fields, the ability to communicate and interact effectively with people is valuable and quite important. Whether it is management or working with a client, an engineer must clearly convey his ideas and give the right direction. There should be no ambiguity in an engineer's words or actions. He must also be able to listen and benefit from the ideas of other team members.
Creation.
In general, it can be said that the role of a structural engineer is to apply and implement technical principles to carry out projects within the built environment. In most cases, this requires a certain level of creativity. From finding ways to reduce CO2 emissions to building a trampoline bridge, creativity is key.
Critical thinking. A civil engineer is often faced with complex problems and he must be able to find an effective solution to these problems. An engineer must be able to evaluate all the possible pros and cons of possible solutions and correctly compare them in order to choose the best solution to the problem.
Generally, a civil engineer must have a wide range of skills, and this list is by no means complete. But these five skills are the most important for an engineer.
sumathi Rajendran
Software Engineer
5
Answers
India
Updated
sumathi’s Answer
• Communication is a vital skill to excel in any setting. It's not something you can master overnight; it requires daily practice. Engage in English conversations with your friends and take part in debates through diverse platforms such as Toastmasters club, community clubs, and forums. Make it a habit to learn new vocabulary every day. Regardless of your profession, strive to gain in-depth knowledge about your field and aim to become an expert in it. By doing this consistently, you'll surely build self-confidence, which will inevitably lead to success in your career.