Welcome to the next installment of Read.Watch.Listen. This month, we focus in on one of the most often-cited reasons that mid-level engineers struggle and even leave the engineering industry- insufficient management training and career development. It is a common trope of this industry that workers get promoted to their level of incompetence. Success as an engineer generally results in promotion into management positions– which have a completely different skill set from technical design– and employees are frequently undertrained and unprepared to take on those new roles. The resulting stresses and frustrations drive lower employee satisfaction and decreased propensity to remain in a field in which they were previously successful. Engineering firms need to take a proactive approach to manager training and intentionally creating career paths that suit their most valuable employees, to ensure their continued effectiveness and longevity. Read, watch, and listen below for resources and tips to create effective management training programs within your organization to ensure that you keep the employees you’ve worked so hard to develop both happy and effective.
READ
What Does Your Firm Need to Do to Ensure Project Managers Thrive? | Professional Services Management Journal
“Who watches the watchers?” – Roman Poet Juvenal, 1st Century AD.
Much of the focus on the roles of Project managers is on their training and effectiveness, but project managers themselves still need to be overseen, managed, and supported by firm leaders. This article gives advice on how to effectively manage the managers, from providing useful feedback to addressing their failures. By focusing on strategic leadership and making the tough decisions, effective firm leadership can empower PMs to use their skills to carry out successful projects on a consistent basis.
Published December 2024; Estimated Read Time – 5 minutes
WATCH
Mastering Management: Engineers’ Path to Leadership | American Council of Engineering Companies
In this video, founder of the Engineering Management Institute Anthony Fasano discusses the skills that make a difference when transitioning from a design role into management and leadership positions, emphasizing the importance of developing strong communication and leadership skills early on, rather than reactively following a role change. He emphasizes the importance of employer engagement and support in training these skills, and provides his thoughts on opportunities that all technical professionals can take advantage of in creating more well-rounded and valuable skill sets for themselves.
Originally aired May 2025; 00:18:57
LISTEN
Why Engineers Struggle as Project Managers | The AEC Project Management Podcast
Host Regina Newkirk Rucci and immigration attorney Andrea Reyes discuss the nuances and specifics of how employers can support and welcome foreign-born workers. They review the various visa types, the application process and requirements, and how employees can obtain work permits with the support of an employer. They then address the various challenges that immigrant employees face in the workplace and provide recommendations for policies and initiatives that can ease the transition, from translation support to cultural sensitivity education for all employees. They also point out that many of these processes and educational opportunities are similarly applicable to US-born workers seeking to work in other countries. They end by emphasizing the value of diverse background, culture, and lived experience to individuals and to the firms that employ them, and remind us all that learning and broadening our horizons is a noble and worthwhile goal.
Originally published July 2026; 00:29:01