What do you do here at EDA?
I am a panel fabrication drafter. I take field dimensions and apply them to our shop drawings to create CNC files and assembly instructions for the shop fabricators to cut and fabricate the panels. I also provide field personnel with a layout of the panels—what we call a placard—so the team in the field knows where each panel goes.
What is your favorite thing about working with your team or department?
The fabrication drafters are a very collaborative group. If someone has a question, there is always someone with an answer. Also, people often use the same programs in different ways, since there are many methods to achieve the same result. Seeing how someone else approaches a task can show you a new way of doing something you might not have thought of.
Outside of work, do you have any favorite activities or hobbies?
I love history and visiting local breweries. Spending the day exploring a site that’s been around for hundreds of years or visiting a great museum, then grabbing a beer at a local brewery, is ideal for me. I also enjoy beer festivals—they’re a fun way to discover new breweries I’d like to visit.
What is the best piece of advice you have been given relating to your job or career?
The advice that stuck with me is actually the worst advice I’ve ever received—and it taught me what not to do. Back in college, one of my professors said, “If it looks right, it is right.” In the construction industry, this mindset can lead to huge problems. For example, if something isn’t secured properly but looks correct, things can fall apart quickly and cause serious issues.
What is one thing you never leave home without?
Probably the most common answer—my phone. It helps me find something to do and get there as well. Although I’m slowly learning my way around, I recently relocated to the Philadelphia area, and without my phone, I’d probably get lost.
Cats or dogs? Why?
I don’t currently have any pets, but if I ever do, I would choose a dog. A dog would always want to be friendly and spend time with me, while a cat only wants attention occasionally.
What is your favorite part of your job?
I love taking something from a two-dimensional set of shop drawings and turning it into a three-dimensional object. Then, seeing that object installed on a building is incredibly rewarding. Being able to say, “I helped create that,” makes all the hard work worth it.
If you were planning your favorite meal, what’s on the menu?
My ideal meal would be a juicy burger and crispy French fries. The burger needs to be dripping with grease and topped with good cheese, bacon, lettuce, and onions. As for condiments, that depends on how I’m feeling—sometimes just ketchup and mayo, other times something more creative like a good aioli or even bacon jam, which is better than it sounds. The French fries must be crispy and well-cooked—no wilted or soggy fries for me!
How do you stay updated on industry trends and advancements, and are there any recent developments that have caught your attention?
Autodesk has improved its programs like AutoCAD and Revit by introducing a feature called My Insights. It gathers information on what commands you use and how often you use them, then provides recommendations for different commands or alternative ways to use the program.
I’ve also started using LinkedIn Learning to broaden my skills. So far, it has been a great tool.
What is your proudest accomplishment, either in your professional or personal life?
Any completed job is an accomplishment for me. I love seeing photos of a finished project or passing by a building and being able to say, “I helped create that.” Seeing something that once existed only on my computer screen become reality is incredibly fulfilling.