Traffic signal design jobs recruiting is skyrocketing despite COVID 19. This is because transportation engineering projects are continuing at at a rapid rate. This was the essence of what I shared with host Cisco Cotto during my appearance on Chicago’s number one noon news program and CBS Radio affiliate WBBM News Radio 780 on Wednesday, August 26, 2020 2020. You may click here then find (on Wednesday, August 26th) and click on “Jobs – College Affordability & Restaurants” and then scroll to the 8:30 (to 12:22) mark to listen to my segment in its entirety.
Questions I Was Asked and Answered
Below are the questions Cisco asked me as well as my responses in italics. I hope you enjoy this interview.
(Cisco) While unemployment remains high, there are certain jobs that are in demand.
We are joined by Scott Sargis, founder and President of of Strategic Search Corporation here in Chicago.
Scott, it is good to have you back on the show.
I have been seeing a lot of construction going on. That didn’t end. That was deemed essential.
Are any of these jobs in the construction industry?
(Myself) Yes. In fact, they are doing construction at our building today.
(Cisco) Yes. It’s all over.
(Myself) That’s correct. Civil engineering in general is growing despite all the cutbacks.
Highway, tollway and Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) projects are being funded. As a result, I am seeing five (jobs recruiting) areas that are really hot today.
Structural engineers, particularly for bridge design, waste water treatment and water supply engineers, construction phase resident engineers, CAD (Computer Aided Design) especially Microstation CAD being used in the civil engineering field and the hottest of the five areas is traffic signal design.
Traffic signal design engineers are the people who perform traffic studies and traffic signal design engineering before new traffic lights are employed.
In fact, we are engaged in six job recruitment assignments for traffic signal design. We are having a hard time recruiting good (traffic signal design) talent.
So those are five of the key (job recruiting) areas right now, Cisco.
(Cisco) Now, traffic signal design, why would that be hot? What would be going on in the economy that would make that (traffic signal design) a job that is really in demand?
(Myself) Well, a couple of factors. One, is when you are doing a construction project, you need traffic signals to navigate the chaos.
Second, it’s simple supply and demand (for recruitment of this talent). There is a lot of demand for these people (traffic signal design) and very short supply. I will give you one example.
One of our clients in Will County (Illinois) just opened a new office. They are looking for someone they can groom to become General Manager (GM).
The office is small right now. It is only three people: GM, Senior Tech (Technican) and CAD person and junior engineer. They are looking for someone to build that practice (traffic signal design).
This would be someone who would interface with municipal managers and directors of engineering. They would spec out all those projects (traffic signal design).
Those are a couple of reasons Cisco that this (traffic signal design) is a hot area right now.
(Cisco) These are hot (jobs) right now. So what would people do to be trained or go to school in this field (traffic signal design)?
They are not going to be ready tomorrow. Are these fields that even 5 or 10 years down the road they might still be hot?
(Myself) Let’s say someone wanted to make a career transition, I would recommend going to a community college. One example is JCC (Joliet Community College), which has a very good training program.
Become a tech. Get an associates degree and become a technician. A lot of these engineering and construction firms need techs. Start out as a tech.
Learn CAD. Particularly MicroStation CAD. That’s the hot CAD or computer aided design system used in civil engineering today.
Use that (being a tech with CAD expertise) as a springboard into getting your engineering degree. Get a degree in civil engineering or mechanical engineering or structural engineering down the road.
That’s what I would recommend. Especially if someone wants to make a career transition, Cisco.
(Cisco) Thanks so much. Scott Sargis president of Strategic Search Corporation. You can find him online at strategicsearch.com
Call me today at 312-944-4000 to help with your recruiting needs particularly in our six specialty areas of engineers, scientists, technical, R&D (research and development), IT (information technology) and manufacturing talent. Or click here for my full contact information.
