Question:
I have an inquiry for anyone who is professionally involved in the
field of traffic / civil engineering, or the like. I am currently a
college student looking to get some real world experience in the blue
collar side of highway maintenance / construction. I want to work on
for a while and take a break from academics. I don't have any formal
training and don't really know how unions and what not work. What
kinds of things could I do for the state or Maryland or private
contractors? There is tons of highway construction going on right
around my house currently. Could I just go to the field office and get
an application or do I have to be affiliated with the teamsters. I
don't really care what kind of work it is as long as it's hands on
and around the things I love-highways, bridges, and roads.
Answer:
If you have no experience working on a construction crew, your best
bet is getting hired as a common laborer or a survey crew technician.
All that these require is you be healthy and have at least a high
school diploma. Going to the local field office probably won't work;
someone applying for a state job has to apply through the personnel
department. Go to your state DOT's website and they should have
instructions on how to apply for a job.
I once applied for an apprenticeship at the ironworkers local when I was in
my early 20's and dissatisfied with the pay at my job with IDOT. They did
everything they could to convince me I didn't want the job. They knew of my
background as an engineering technician. I think they didn't want someone
who would stick around for a year or 2 and quit to go back to school or
whatever. I finally wound up agreeing with them at the interview, and
eventually went back to school and got a master's degree in engineering.
You could also look into employment at one of your local private
construction companies or state, county or municipal highway departments.
Their interns, etc. get into field survey and layout and construction
inspection activities, fairly "hands on" as far as construction work goes.
I know a city engineer that can run a backhoe in a trench with the best of 'em.
