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Growing Your Engineering Career: Advice From an Engineering Management Master’s Graduate

Growing Your Engineering Career: Advice From an Engineering Management Master’s Graduate

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Masters in Engineering Management Career Profile

From the moment Corey Dixon began his internship at Chrysler, he saw potential and dreamed big.

His undergrad degree in mechanical engineering prepared him for a career focused on industrial engineering, a focus that led him into the automotive field. At Chrysler, he quickly rose from intern to Quality Shift Manager, overseeing a growing team on the production floor. But Corey realized that, with the right degree, his career path could take him to new heights.

“To make the career move you want to make these days,” Corey says, “you almost have to have a Master’s degree.” Together with a classmate from undergrad, Corey explored the Master of Engineering in Engineering Management degree from the J.B. Speed School of Engineering at the University of Louisville.

The engineering management degree was attractive for several reasons. “It’s great to be pursuing a degree that’s offered 100% online,” says Corey, who is now on target to graduate. “It’s a flexible degree. I can live my everyday life and still go to school to get the degree I need.”

“It was also nice not having to take the GMAT,” Corey also notes. “Standardized tests just don’t speak to everyone and their full suite of skills. Plus, I can focus my studies and my projects on the industrial side of engineering, a focus that fits with my career goals.”

About 25% of Corey’s classmates are focused on industrial engineering like he is; many others come from a military background or through private engineering firms and consultant groups.

Corey is already seeing parallels between the engineering management courses he takes at UofL and the “real world” experience he’s living at Chrysler. “The project management skills I learn are put into practice in my career,” he says. “We’re doing Gant charts right now, for example, and creating key timelines as we work together to launch a new plant in Northern Virginia. It’s interesting to see my classwork already in action. I see a lot of application of text and theory.”

The new plant also holds the key to Corey’s career growth. Corey will be relocating to that site at launch, joining the supply chain team in a position that allows for more vertical moves within the company. His end goal is to become a plant manager — a goal that is closer than ever with his graduation coming up and his new position in the smaller, more mobile unit of Chrysler.

His advice to other students?

“Go for it. The flexible classes are great. And the teachers are wonderful — they present and lecture very effectively — no fluff, right to the meat of the course. They make the program achievable and challenging, yet easy for you.”

Learn more about the Master of Engineering in Engineering Management degree from UofL. View all our online programs here.

Life As a Community Health Nurse
Life As a Community Health Nurse

Life As a Community Health Nurse

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Life As a Community Health Nurse

Interested in a career that is dedicated to the health and well-being of the community you serve? Then you may be interested in becoming a community nurse! From educating others on disease prevention to providing clinical care, your efforts will help your community combat common and chronic health problems.

What is Unique About a Community Health Nurse Role?

As a community health nurse — sometimes called population or public health nurses — your role is to provide access to healthcare for the community at large, not just those that seek care in a medical facility. These nurses take healthcare to the people by traveling to neighborhoods with prevention and education efforts, as well offering on-location services specifically designed for those who may not be otherwise able to afford medical care. Serving those in need is the heart of community health nursing.

In this career, your job will include identifying and addressing poor self-care to help your patients lower their health risks as you work to decrease the number of visits to hospitals, ERs and doctors’ offices in the community. This will require a broad knowledge of preventable issues stemming from diet, sexual practices, substance abuse, and social or domestic violence.

Your working environment will range from private homes to community centers, workplaces, clinical care sites and health-related community events. You may also be called upon to provide services during a public emergency or as part of a disaster response plan.

Is the Need for Community Health Nurses Growing?

Yes. As the average life expectancy grows and chronic illnesses increase, community health nurses play critical roles in healthcare education and delivery. Demand is very high, especially for positions that work with vulnerable populations.  More information about the expected growth of this field is available through the Association of Community Health Nursing Educators (ACHNE), an organization dedicated to serving public health nursing professionals.

According to the American Nursing Association, job opportunities outside of a hospital setting represent one of the four biggest nursing trends. Nursing positions focused on the community — such as in-home care, population health, and chronic care in special facilities — are on the rise. This growth is largely due to the opportunities created in response to the Affordable Care Act and an increased focus on the consumer’s role in their own health.

What Does It Take to Be a Great Community Nurse?

First, it takes passion. Many community nurses believe they have the very best job in the world. On a daily basis, they’re rewarded by seeing the impact they make in the community. From regular interactions with community members, they know they are making a difference.

Being a community health nurse also requires seeing the big picture. Community health nurses seek to change not only individual habits, but also those of entire populations such as women, children, ethnic and cultural groups, those living with diseases like HIV/AIDS, and those with various chronic conditions. Building community education is key in affecting transformational change.

Lastly, great community nurses are curious and creative. They dig deeply to the root causes of health issues and innovate strategic plans to help prevent these problems from growing. As a community nurse, you’ll be working with healthcare delivery, and also leading interventions that address social factors such as poverty, education and institutional bias that limits access to health care. Through addressing the broader spectrum of health and wellness, you will promote social justice by striving to close the healthcare gap for vulnerable communities.

What Will My Day to Day Schedule Be Like?

Depending on your position, you can expect a wide variety of daily tasks. Most of these will fit within a scheduled “9-to-5” work day. Because you are dealing with the broader population, you will not see the scheduling and shift changes traditional clinical care nurses often experience in a hospital setting.

What Can I Expect to Earn Annually?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for a health educator was $53,000 in 2016. However, your earning potential will change based on the community you work in, your individual experiences, and the position you choose.

How Will Having My RN-BSN Degree from University of Louisville Help?

University of Louisville’s online Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-BSN) degree is designed specifically for registered nurses who want to take that next step in their career. The entry level requirements for community health educators starts with a bachelor’s degree. Earning your online nursing degree from University of Louisville will not only qualify you for these positions, but will also open the opportunity to chart further career growth and improve your lifetime earning potential.

Another exceptional benefit to pursuing your RN-BSN at UofL is previous work experience can earn you up to 30 credits toward graduation through the program’s professional portfolio – that’s a potential savings of more than $14,000 in tuition!

Learn more about UofL’s online RN-BSN degree and take that next step in your nursing career today!

Preparing for a Career in Civil Engineering
Preparing for a Career in Civil Engineering

Preparing for a Career in Civil Engineering

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Preparing for a Career in Civil Engineering

Gains in the housing market and a push for improving U.S. infrastructure, as well as companies like Amazon looking to expand their geographic footprint, make this a compelling time in the civil engineering world.

Now it’s a very good time to further your education and prepare for the challenges of tomorrow. Here’s an overview of what’s happening in the industry—and what you can expect as you earn your Master of Science in Civil Engineering, available 100% online from the J.B. Speed School of Engineering at UofL.

What trends are impacting construction engineering?

In an economy that has seen a lot of flux over the last decade, value still rules the day. Here is an example of how this reality has impacted construction engineering trends — and what tomorrow’s civil engineers may be focused on, according to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

  • Single-design Models shave 20% or more off construction projects by allowing all facets of the engineering, drafting and coordination to be completed under one roof.
  • Prefabrication used to assemble materials off-site is helping construction teams improve project schedules by taking basic construction out of the field. More fabrication is happening before construction elements even show up to the job site.
  • Energy Efficiency is driven by new technologies that allow finished projects to be smarter than ever. For example, sensors regulate energy consumption based on zones, scheduled usage and seasonal considerations.
  • Permanent Modular Construction offers new opportunities to have templated projects go up quickly, eliminating the extra time typically allocated for such work — and with similar or better quality. This is particularly appealing for replicated projects like barracks or storage units, as well as fast-food or retail pop-ups and other scalable outbuildings.

Is the civil engineering industry growing?

Commercial, public and nonresidential projects are on the upswing, fueled by significant industry recovery in recent years. Industry growth is tracking ahead of overall growth across all jobs, a good sign for the immediate future, according to projections from the American Society of Civil Engineers.

What can I expect to earn annually?

According to BLS.gov, the annual salary for a civil engineer in 2016 was over $83,000. This is an averaged salary; your earning may vary based on the scope of your work, experience and the area in which you live.

Will earning my master’s degree in civil engineering help me?

There was a 60% increase in the mandatory requirement for a master’s degree on civil engineering job postings published between 2014 and 2015 (Labor Insights).

Moreover, a strategic initiative called “Raise the Bar” backed by the American Society of Civil Engineers has been designed to advance the profession by raising educational requirements for licensing future engineers. Specifically, “Raise the Bar” recommends that state licensure laws better protect public safety and community welfare by requiring all new civil engineers to hold a master’s degree in engineering or 30 graduate credit hours, beyond the four-year undergraduate degree. ASCE believes the complex challenges facing the industry demand an advancement in technical excellence and professional leadership, with a particular emphasis on growing fields like sustainability, computer applications, advanced materials or nanotechnology.

Earning a master’s degree can help you stay competitive and marketable in the field, secure your current position or advance your career as opportunities for a better job arise.

The master’s in civil engineering program at the University of Louisville can help you align your education with the industry trends and job demands of the future. Our Master of Science in Civil Engineering is offered through J.B. Speed School of Engineering, recently ranked as one of the best graduate schools for engineering in the United States, according to U.S. News and World Report. With our 100% online degree, you have the flexibility to maintain your professional and personal life, while joining UofL’s learning community from anywhere in the world.

If you have already earned your bachelor’s in civil engineering, you can take advantage of this online degree program now to enhance your skills and expertise within the civil engineering profession.

Learn more and apply today to start down the path to Master of Science in Civil Engineering degree!

About UofL Online Learning

The University of Louisville currently offers online programs in various areas of study for adult learners who are not able to come to a physical campus, but want to earn a college degree or certificate and advance their career.

The University of Louisville is a nationally-recognized, metropolitan research university, with a commitment to the liberal arts and sciences, as well as the intellectual, cultural, and economic development of our diverse community of learners.

Building the Best Workforce and Business Leaders
Building the Best Workforce and Business Leaders

Building the Best Workforce and Business Leaders

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Building the Best Workforce and Business Leaders
Pursuing your online bachelor’s in organizational leadership (BSOLL) from University of Louisville is a strong first step to grow as a leader. As you look toward applying your knowledge to the workplace, don’t be taken by surprise. For many new business leaders, the workplace of tomorrow will look a little different.

Gone are the days of business suits, dedicated desks and rigid standards. Even brick-and-mortar offices are on the outs. Iconic companies like Google are pioneering a fresh approach to attract a new talent pool — Millennials and Gen Z.

Consider the signs of change you’re probably already seeing:

  • A young workforce. Millennials grew to become the majority of the national workforce in 2015, and Gen Z workers are close behind. That means major change is on the way. Your leadership tactics must anticipate change.
  • Shifting works styles and expectations. New workers have a greater desire to influence their work environment, often by defying corporate structure or defining work standards that embrace a more relaxed approach. Frankly, many younger workers have no patience for “the way it’s always been done.”
  • Early tech adoption. New tech tools are infiltrating the office, and not just in the IT department. You may already be using tech-based workflow solutions such as Slack and Trello. This will only continue.
  • New ways of thinking. Office culture is changing. Emphasis is shifting toward more transparency, more mobility and worker input in daily operations. Flexible hours, 360-degree training and the creation of mentors (not managers) are just a few examples.

The organizational leadership and learning curriculum crafted by UofL faculty anticipates these shifting workplace dynamics. Courses are developed around ways the business world is changing — the ways you’ll realistically apply the knowledge you gain through your online degree. Here are a few course highlights that emphasize proactive leadership in the workforce:

  • ELFH 300 Prior Learning Assessment (Portfolio Class)
    First of all, take credit for the experience you have already gained on the job. Based on your professional experience, you can earn up to 48 credits tuition free!
  • ELFH 412 Coaching and Talent Management
    Understand the knowledge, skills and dispositions for new leaders in talent management, career development and coaching. You’ll learn the best ways to maximize team performance and reach key goals for each individual and the organization overall.
  • ELFH 414 Diversity
    Explore the challenges and rewards of differences within your workplaces. You’ll focus on the application of cultural competence and diversity solutions within a changing office environment.
  • ELFH 420 Negotiation and Conflict Management
    Understand the nature of conflict (types, sources and processes) with special emphasis on organizational conflict and how it’s evolving. You’ll gain skills in negotiation, mediation and alternative dispute resolution options.
  • ELFH 442 Supporting Organizational Change
    Anticipate the course of change! You’ll discuss causes of change in your organization and the professional and personal competencies you can bring to the table to support healthy change.

Enroll at University of Louisville Today

Put your experience to work and start down the path to becoming a great business leader. Learn more about UofL’s online bachelor’s in organizational leadership and learning.

About UofL Online Learning

The University of Louisville currently offers online programs in various areas of study for adult learners who are not able to come to a physical campus, but want to earn a college degree or certificate and advance their career.

The University of Louisville is a nationally-recognized, metropolitan research university, with a commitment to the liberal arts and sciences, as well as the intellectual, cultural, and economic development of our diverse community of learners.

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