Our firm has been on a very exciting growth path trajectory, adding quality talent from coast to coast in our pursuit of young professionals and through key strategic acquisitions. We have taken great strides in our efforts to recruit and retain staff, and yet we still consistently have many openings we want to fill.

An Increased Need for Young Talent

One of the greatest challenges that stand in our way is meeting projected growth needs while the number of students pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education is not increasing at the same rate that the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry is growing. Additionally, STEM-educated talent is being siphoned off into industries outside of our own.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019-2029 employment projections show that occupations in the STEM field are expected to grow by 8% by 2029, more than doubling the 3.7% for all other occupations. With this in mind, I think there are a few trends that we will see in the coming years, including our industry being forced to do a lot more with fewer bodies, thus increasing the need for automation technologies. The challenges that we will see will naturally breed more project innovation, and it will become absolutely critical to get interns and young professionals embedded in and excited about our industry.

Not only does bringing interns in early on in their careers help foster an environment for hands-on experience and preparation for a future career, but it allows for a mutually beneficial relationship with our full-time staff. This summer our interns across the country brought high levels of excitement and enthusiasm to all of our projects, providing us with new perspectives into our culture and work approaches. You are never too far into your career to learn from others, and I’m grateful for the opportunity.

Fostering Creativity Early On

I believe one of the easiest ways to get students excited about STEM is to start fostering their curiosity at a young age. First, it starts at home by getting children outside and being curious about the world around them. From explaining concepts like where our drinking water comes from and how roads are built and maintained to providing them with educational toys like a volcano set, the hope is that their curiosity will be peaked and encourage them to keep learning.

I believe one of the easiest ways to get students excited about STEM is to start fostering their curiosity at a young age. ” Darren Conner

As we see an emphasis on STEM-related activities early on in schools, I believe more students will pursue higher education degrees in these fields. The degree is important in providing you with the background and fundamentals in the area of study, but the experience you receive as an intern can truly be invaluable. It certainly was for me.

Turning Internships into Lifelong Careers

I started my career at Dewberry as an intern, spending my summer and winter breaks between semesters at Virginia Tech to work under Dan Pleasant, our current Chief Operating Officer. I will never forget my experiences working on meaningful projects right from the get-go, including working on a water pump station and water line design project in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. Getting a real taste of what the day-to-day would be like with the firm made accepting my offer right after graduation a no-brainer and I have not looked back since.