A Day in the Life: Infrastructure
Meet Andrea Gonzales. Daughter of a civil engineer, Andrea is proud to continue her mom's legacy in her current career. She joined RPS as an Intern and has moved up to Associate Engineer.
Q&A
What is it like to be an Associate Engineer?
It's rewarding! I get to work on cool projects and help our community.
What led you to choose this as a career?
My mom is a civil engineer so I had known about the field for a really long time. But once I got to college I learned more about it and decided to go with it.
What is the most exciting part of your job?
Knowing my projects will come to life!
Describe a typical workday?
In the mornings, I typically have meetings, continue working on my projects and learn from contractors. At the end of the day, I'm usually wrapping up tasks and connecting with my team.
What advice do you have for someone who wants to do what you do?
Get involved with organizations! That will help you make connections and gain mentors. My mom is my mentor and I can ask her questions free of judgment. Also, get plugged in! Try your best in school. A lot of your schoolwork will be your real work later.
How do you see RPS' goals of sustainability and resiliency in your job?
Right now our team is looking into smart cities, which is looking to put utilities into cities managed by AI.
What is the best part of working for RPS?
The people and the knowledge! My manager gives me great projects. As an Intern, I was working on a project, doing my own research and he gave me the opportunity to fully immerse myself.
How has RPS helped your career grow?
RPS has helped me grow professionally and personally. My team helps get me out of my comfort zone and I've gotten to connect with great people.
What do you enjoy?
Hiking, drawing and Netflix!