The industry is changing and so is your career! Join the 2019 OC YMF Speaker Series "The Future-Proof Engineer: Adapt & Thrive in Change" to "future-proof" your career with the experiences and knowledge of our guest panel members who will provide invaluable insight and lessons on how to successfully shape your ideal career while navigating a changing industry.

The 2019 Speaker Series will showcase four panel-style sessions on topics including: transitioning from project engineer to project manager; innovative technologies; economic cycles; and engineering in the public sector. 

Session Details:

"Project Engineer to Project Manager: Prepare for the Promotion" by Kathereen Shinkai, Ravi Shah and Kevin Du Mont - April 30th

Have you ever thought about becoming an engineering project manager? This event will include a panel of industry leaders where they will speak about the most essential traits that they look for when hiring or promoting new project managers, how to demonstrate to your employer that you’re ready to become a project manager, the biggest mistakes to avoid during the transition, how to get your team to listen to you, and much more. Young practicing engineers will learn what it’s really like to be a project manager and if it’s the career path that they’re expecting. While new project managers will learn how to solve the challenges that frequently occur when making the transition.

"AR/VR and AI: Digital Disruption & Civil Engineering Re-Imagined" by Amrita Bajwa - May 7th

Disrupt or Be Disrupted. Have you ever wondered how trending technologies like Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Drones, Artificial Intelligence, and Internet-of-Things are being incorporated and utilized in civil engineering? Amrita Bajwa, Global Platform Technology Lead at Jacobs will present on current and emerging technologies that are taking our industry by storm. She will discuss the cause and effects of digital disruption, and how the rapid advancement of technology is affecting project delivery, efficiency, and safety; in addition to some interesting case studies on how various technologies have been utilized throughout projects in California and around the world.

"Engineering through Economic Cycles: Thrive in any Economy" by Jeff Cooper, Aileen Santos-Redman and Others - May 14th

Economic ups and downs are a natural part of a dynamic economy. Although collective thinking is that the U.S. economy is healthy and growing, some experts are anticipating an economic disruption in 2019 or early 2020. While experts are looking at various economic data to better define the risk and timing of this economic slowdown, these events are hard to predict. So, what does it mean to be an engineer through these cycles and periods of uncertainty? Through the experiences of seasoned engineers, this session will provide information and tips on how to best prepare, adapt, and thrive in any economy. 

"Collaborating with Cities: An Integrated Approach" by Brian Ulaszewaki and Meredith Reynolds - May 21

Many public agencies are embracing community-based, collaborative, planning and design processes. Projects and policies that integrate public support can become the cornerstone for a community's character. Local agencies and engineering partners must adapt to our ever changing world by working more cohesively in order to thrive in the future to meet the public’s wants and needs. Arguably, the best way to do so is to bring the community into the creative design space. This presentation will leave you with a fresh perspective of the obstacles and challenges the public sector encounters within itself and innovative ways to better serve your clients and, more importantly, the people in the communities you serve.

A light dinner is included in the cost of registration. All events will be held at HDR, in Irvine, starting at 6PM. 

For more information please contact OC YMF Speaker Series Chairs; Anne Girtz at agirtz@westyost.com or Mathew Picardal at mpicardal@dci-engineers.com

NOTE: Sponsorship opportunities are available. Please contact speaker series chairs for more details. 

Please read our event guide page (http://ymf-oc.org/eventguide) for our current general event and ticket buying guidelines.