LVI Associates

  LVI Associates is honored to partner with  ACEC  again this year ahead of their  2022 Fall Conference .  The conference, taking place in  Colorado Springs, CO  will bring together engineering leaders and professionals from top firms across the US for three days of networking, thought leadership, and education. Our team is thrilled to have the opportunity to connect with clients at this year's event, happening  October 16-19th . Highlighting our continued partnership, LVI Associates Vice President  Dylan  Mather  comments, “ It has been great partnering with ACEC, from working together on webinars, to attending the in-person conferences. We are looking forward to meeting with all of our clients and candidates at the conference and making new connections to provide our unique industry insights and services within the engineering and  infrastructure space ." For more information on the conference, or to learn how LVI Associates ...

  Covering the state of diversity in the transportation market, LVI Associates Principal Consultant Sarah Davis discusses the challenges hiring managers and job seekers face within engineering, as well as how firms can attract female talent in a competitive market, and the importance of retention. 60% of women say they have never negotiated their salary according to CNBC, and women make  .83 cents  to every $1 a man makes. Those stats make for somber reading, so companies need to ask themselves if they have women as part of their executive leadership team? When you look at some industries numbers in terms of diversity, it can make levelling the playing field feel like an uphill battle. However, there is hope. Female enrollment in the Tickle College of Engineering at the University of Tennessee has increased by  60%  since 2008, so the future seems to be looking brighter. In the meantime, engineering firms need to discover ways to attract and retain female talent...

  Sourcing the right talent at the right time can prove arduous for any company. But the process becomes even more challenging when you work within a niche industry or sector. In these situations, a specialist recruiter can help find the perfect candidate for a hard-to-fill role. There are several benefits a specialist recruiter can offer when looking to find niche talent: Deep Sector Expertise A specialist recruiter will hold valuable expertise in your sector. This deep market knowledge will include knowing ‘who is who’, and where the best talent is located. Specialist recruiters can also pull on their niche expertise to provide guidance on market trends such as salary expectations, desirable skill sets, new technologies and employee expectations within your sector. Help with specific and hard-to-fill roles Across the engineering and infrastructure sectors, teams have roles to fill with very specific requirements and have a small talent pool in which to recruit. Roles with ‘e...

  ​ Engineering a sustainable future.   The world relies on engineering and infrastructure, but both disciplines can have an impact on the climate, with estimates pointing to 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions that stem from infrastructure.  How can engineering and infrastructure be a catalyst for meaningful change and scale down the atmospheric temperature rise? The answer could lie in getting the right people in place to collectively tackle the climate crisis.   Our latest guide,  The Case for Sustainable Business Practice , explores our key insights and topics covering:  Global Initiatives: The Next Phase of Sustainable Transformation A New Dawn for Engineering Auditing the Carbon Footprint Companies Leading the Charge A Concrete Case for Digitalization Green Jobs: New Ways to Conduct Business

  The global engineering and infrastructure sector has a busy market where skilled candidates, particularly with those who have experience in new and emerging technologies, are high in demand. If you face a note of resignation in your inbox, it is tempting as an employer to send back a counter-offer to retain your most valuable employees on the payroll. The sad reality is that those who wish to leave your company most likely don’t have salary as their only or primary motivating factor. Often there are underlying issues behind the reason why they have handed in their resignation, and these won’t be solved with the money of a counter-offer. In fact, most employees who accept a counter-offer leave a company anyway within six to twenty-four months of accepting that offer. This article covers the reasons why you should rethink your choice to make a counter-offer to a leaving employee, and why counter-offers are ultimately a waste of time and money for your company.

  ​Starting a new role in the global infrastructure and engineering sector is a time of optimism and potential, so it makes no sense to waste it on making a bad first impression on your first day of work. It is important to view your first day as an extension of your interview, and arriving on time and looking your best will only make a positive impression. However, there is more to a first day in a new role than good grooming and time-keeping. It is a vital first opportunity to learn about your company culture, introduce yourself to your new team members and start the foundations on which to build your important new working relationships.

Jennifer Keegan, Director of Building & Science in Roofing & Waterproofing for GAF joined LVI’s Sarah Lazar to discuss how to break the glass ceiling in this male dominated industry as part of International Women’s Day celebrations.  Progression and opportunities to learn ​ Wherever there is an opportunity to learn and problem-solve on the job, Jennifer accepted and took on, continuing to step our of her comfort zone and recommends to ask lots of questions throughout your career.  ​ When asked how Jennifer progressed in her career, one point to note is that she attended and shadowed in meetings, which eventually lead to her first leadership role at ASTM.  ​ Jennifer managers a team of experienced enclosure consultants, architects and engineers. She translates all of their experience to support the design community. The science behind how building enclosures perform well is crucial as it helps to understand the problems, and influences building design to ensure it...

  Vicente Montes-Amoros, PE, LEED AP, BD+C, Structural & Façade Engineer at Curtain Wall Design & Consulting joined Sarah to discuss the future of façade engineering, how a building can create a ‘death ray’, and how the industry can be more sustainable. Watch the video or read our short summary on the interview. Considerations & differentiations When deciding a façade system, there are four main aspects you must take into consideration - Structural Thermal Air performance Water Performance It’s also important to also consider different approaches to façade engineering across varying locations. Some suppliers and manufacturers are preferred in certain markets, and it takes time to work through who and what is the preference, for example Virginia and New York are in close proximity to one another, but they use contrasting products & manufacturers, so state-to-state can also be quite different. What is a death ray? A death ray is an example of when a façade d...

  ​Infrastructure and engineering companies often work on large projects which require high quality talent when it comes to leadership, project management and insights from specialized experience across different fields of engineering. This means often looking beyond the local talent pool to locate brilliant talent. Job offers which require relocations will often come with an agreed relocation assistance package, which can provide financial assistance to new employees. However, truly competitive relocation programs need to consider elements such as spousal assistance, practical support on finding a new home, and even providing advice which can help the new employee find new schools and care homes for their relatives. Relocating for a new job is an incredibly stressful time, but providing excellent support will not only help significantly strengthen your employee brand, but will also help you retain top talent, providing long-term value after making an initial investment.

Critically improving transportation conditions Making recent headline news around the world, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) provides unprecedented federal funding for infrastructure projects across the US. The bi-partisan bill, which has been years in the making, will deliver  $1.2 trillion in federal spending  over the next five years across a variety of infrastructure projects from renewable energy to electric vehicle manufacturing. Along with these sustainable projects, a main focus of the infrastructure funding will be  $110 billion  towards transportation projects including road and bridge improvements, and  $11 billion  for transportation safety projects. With 1 in 5 miles of highways and major roads, and 45,000 bridges across the US in poor condition, this funding will support critical projects to improve the condition, safety, and environmental sustainability of America’s transportation network. Opportunities in Transportation Eng...

  ​Quitting your role within the infrastructure and engineering sector can be a challenge. On one hand, you may wish to provide constructive feedback on why you have decided to leave your role. One the other, you don’t want to risk offending your bosses and end up with a negative job reference. It is also important to maintain a strong network within the sector, and you need to tread carefully when transitioning between roles to help maintain your professional reputation and ensure support from your colleagues if you end up working with them in the future. This resource will guide you on how to resign from your role in a way that avoids burning bridges, from handing in your notice through what to do on your final day to leave a positive final impression.

  There is overwhelming evidence that companies with diverse workforces perform better on every possible metric, with  diversity positively impacting  every level of a business, from the cleaning staff to the board of directors.  Bringing in as many perspectives, working styles and experience as possible to a workplace leads to integration, success and growth to those businesses who dedicate effort into attracting a diverse talent pool.  The first step to make when aiming to achieve a balanced workforce is to ensure job advertisements avoid signs of unconscious bias. This helps present you as a welcoming and forward-thinking employer. You will also discover that your job positions attract a rich wealth of resumes after eliminating bias in your job descriptions.  Biased job descriptions can discourage capable and talented candidates from applying for a role they are perfect for, and problems can be found both within the language and content of your job descr...