ABSTRACT
As many engineers soon find out, an engineering degree course provides a great foundation, but it may not lead to a great career. Many engineers find themselves in dead-end jobs with little chance of being promoted; they may even see non-engineers being promoted faster. Many students graduate thinking that engineering is hands-on, practical career. Others imagine they will be spending most of their time solving complex technical problems or creating innovative designs. They imagine that ‘real engineering’ is all about design, calculations, and thinking about technical issues. The engineers who expressed frustration at lack of technically challenging work were still struggling to make that shift in perspective. Given that engineering depends so much on collaboration, it follows that improving engineering performance depends as much on overcoming human limitations as it does on technical advances. Expert engineers know that codes and standards represent accumulated engineering experience. Following codes and standards almost always saves time and reduces uncertainty, cost, and risk perceptions.
