Day in the Life of Engineers: Part 2

Global day of the engineer (4 April) is an important event on Stantec annual calendar.

This year’s theme is Day in the Life of Engineers: Making Global Impact, and so we’re shining a light on some of our people who are at different stages of their career to understand more about their roles and passion for the industry.

The dictionary defines engineering as the action of working artfully to bring something about. For Civil Section Manager Mike Prior, it’s also about assisting people with realising their goals – whether they be clients or staff.

“I studied a double degree of science and engineering because I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do and I wanted options. I fell into civil engineering because it was more people and project management focussed, which is what I really enjoy,” he said.

“I’m passionate about developing strong client relationships and that’s something I really instil in my team. I think our focus on relationship building is what sets Stantec apart from our competitors, and in the end it’s our listening and our attention to detail that counts.”

Mike says something as simple as picking up a client on the way to a site meeting is a small gesture that can be lost in the fast paced world of today, but provides a fantastic opportunity to develop and foster strong relationships.

“Today’s world is all about quick feedback and immediate results and that can challenge our ability to simultaneously achieve the most optimal, financial and sustainable solution,” he said.

“When I first started my career, engineering was all about team delivery and time was a commodity given as much importance as cost to ensure it was done right.

“At Stantec we’re still about teamwork and delivering high performance and exceptional service, which I believe stems from our strong employee culture. That’s why I encourage my team to go that little bit extra for our clients and create that personal touch. It helps build relationships on trust which ensures that all aspects of a project are given their appropriate levels of due attention.”

Having seen the industry grow and expand during his time Mike says he isn’t expecting it to slow down any time soon, outlining innovation as the big game changer.

“What we’re predicting to see in the next few years is massive changes in the way our services are consumed by our clients. Technology and innovation will provide new skills and more capabilities to our engineers than ever before, and ultimately our clients will be the biggest beneficiaries,” he said.

“We’ll see greater use of visualisation and interactive software so that both our clients and their ultimate clients will be able to easily consume the projects. We’ll see engineers working even closer with architects, construction teams and many others to deliver projects in more efficient and seamless ways.

“The scope is endless; it’s an exciting time to be involved in the industry.”