There are many benefits to having full-time engineering staff in an architecture firm or construction business. You have an on-site resource to consult, and you have the opportunity to build trust with an individual who can learn to understand your business and personnel needs. There’s also the added element of quality control. Someone you hired has been personally vetted to meet all your requirements. But what happens when you can’t have an on-staff engineer? In the U.S. there is a huge shortage of engineers due to an aging workforce and a lack of interest in the field. Here are some reasons why hiring an outside engineering firm can actually benefit you in the long run.
Engineering Is a Specialty Field
Engineering is a discipline that is so vast that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to most applications. For example, you can’t expect an electrical engineer to have the same knowledge and apply the same functionality to a chemical manufacturing plant. A single building development firm could potentially use several different engineering disciplines within a single project, but not maintain a consistent need for each of those disciplines over a long period of time.
Staffing Difficulties
If you have attempted to hire a full-time structural engineer in the past, you may have noticed that the applicant pool is not only small, but they may not have the qualifications and experience you’re looking for. In fact, each year there is a need for 25,000 civil engineers to enter the workforce in order to keep up with demand. Although organizations and universities are creating programs to bolster interest, the number we have to work with today is limited and still needs mentorship to achieve the appropriate level of expertise. In the meantime, it’s advisable to utilize the available resources to keep projects on time and under budget.
Liability
Licensed engineers are professionally vetted to maintain important quality and safety standards, but there is a reason DDA Engineers, P.A. offers peer review services. Even the best, most experienced candidates are at risk of making critical mistakes. One reason engineering firms are so successful is that they have a team of experienced and knowledgeable engineers to consult with for a variety of projects. Another example of less-than-desirable circumstances is when an HR or business professional is tasked with finding a suitable engineer for their company when there are no other engineers to aid the process. Even though it’s unlikely that an individual applicant would risk their career and livelihood by making fraudulent claims, without a team of engineers to consult, you may have to trust the judgment of a layperson.
At DDA Engineers, P.A. we pride ourselves on being industry leaders and educators for the future of the industry. If you need structural engineering, peer review, or inspection services for your project, contact us online, or call (305) 666-0711 today.
DDA Engineers, P.A.
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