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Nov 2024
26m 33s

Charting a Course in Civil Engineering w...

ISAAC OAKESON
About this episode

Is it possible to work as a civil engineer in…wait for it…the US Navy?! ⚓ Well, the answer is yes. (I know… what? 😮)

Today’s guest is Jason Schechter, an engineer who has spent 20 years serving in the Navy, doing all types of projects any other engineer does in the civilian world…and now works in the Pentagon. 🫡

How did he do it? 🤔

In this episode, he talks about the Navy’s program for recruiting engineers that he joined while still in college (and you probably didn’t even know existed until to today!), as well as the career progression and the (lots of ) pros and (very few) cons of working in the military. 🎖️

Oh, I almost forgot. 😅 Your experience in the military also sets you up for success after you reach the retirement age of the military.

So, if one of your goals in life was to join the military, or you’re simply curious about what it’s like to take that route now, then you'll definitely want to listen to this episode. 😉

TUNE IN TO LEARN:

  • How He Got in the Navy as an Engineer
  • The Navy's Civil Engineering Collegiate Program for Recruiting Engineers
  • What It's Like to Be Part of the Navy's Program
  • The 3 Types of Work You Do in the Navy as a Civil Engineer
  • Is the Navy's Work All Civil Engineering Work?
  • The Worst Part of Being in the Navy and How He Handles It
  • Why He Stayed in the Navy for 20 Years...When the Plan Was Only 4 Years
  • The Big Benefit of Staying in the Navy Until the Retirement Age
  • What the Career Progression of a Civil Engineer in the Navy Looks Like
  • 2 Skills Civil Engineers Need to Excel at the Navy
  • The Hardest Part of His Job Today at the Pentagon
  • What Positions You Can Get Outside the Navy Afterwards
  • His 2 Biggest Frustrations Today Working in the Pentagon
  • How Politics Affects Your Work in the Navy
  • How to Get Your PE When Working in the Navy All Over the World
  • His Advice If You're Interested in Joining the Navy as an Engineer

✅ RESOURCES MENTIONED:

CEA Podcast #260 (Kim Truong)

Navy's Engineering Collegiate Program

Navy's Civil Engineers Corps (CEC) Program

Navy's CEC Presentation

Navy's Construction Battalions (Seabees)

The Fighting Seabees (1944)

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

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