Bechtel National Reviews

Pros

As a first timer in professional construction, I am profoundly impressed by Bechtel's committment to safety and quality of work. Weekly safety bulletins and quality updates are the norm, and they have set precident in keeping a NSQI questioning attitude. Employees are encouraged to question management and management answers those questions, either through the open forum of quarterly meetings or through the website.

There is an air of family at the site in which I work, and everyone from engineering, to supervision, to craft, to document control (and a host of other departments) pull together as one team to accomplish a goal of building the project we are currently on.

Cons

As a member of document control, specifically an Area Field Specialist, there are few opportunities for further career development. This project that I'm currently at is a wonderful place, however, my department is heavily relied on but sorely taken for granted. In truth, we work hard...very hard with little or no direct recognition from management or senior management.

Document control is famous (at our site) for following direction given by Engineering and Supervision management, yet we are not considered to be part of Engineering. We are expected to be a mix of document control, dicsipline specialists, pseudo-engineers and administrative specialists, with specific knowledge of all aspects of engineering, and design, with specific knowledge of all procedures. It's a large pair of shoes to fill for us, and we have the smallest department on the site.

Advice to Senior Management

Please consider on the job training in engineering for those who wish to work hard for the licsence. Some of us are more than capable of the job, but don't have the time (or money) to attend the schools.

Pros

Good Opportunity, Good People and stable company

Cons

Location - Frederick MD - not the most desirable place to live/work

Advice to Senior Management

Continue to Communicate the company's values, expectation and growth strategy

Pros

It pays VERY WELL. Also it has a very good vacation and relocation policy, something I've never seen for entry level employees. Also you get paid overtime ( 1.5 times) and pretty much get to use it whenever you need too.

Cons

The management does not seem to make decisions. That leaves you rushed to complete projects on time which would normally be pretty easy to complete. Also it has an interesting culture which consists of people spending the day complaining about how smart they are and how stupid everyone else is. The culture is very macho in some regards, and during the christmas party there were plenty of fist fights.

Another thing is that they might not use you very well, for example you might be doing glorified secretary work, and then the next week could be talking with world renown experts on the subject.

One of the things that I did not like was that there was a fair amount of corruption and lack of supervision during overtime sessions. One time I was trying to get a report out, and had to put up with the stereotypical loser engineer asking me about my girl friend every five minutes, you know gossiping the whole time and then getting paid for 8 hours of OT.

One last thing is that the company and city has a very "macho" culture. Whoever yells the loudest will almost aways win. There is a serious lack of communication between departments, and management is out of touch, it really is a real life dilbert cartoon.

Advice to Senior Management

Increase communication between diciplines. You make us work every other friday, how about instead of making us do work how about you send us to the construction site to let the people know what the stuff they are installing is. Also you need to have more oversite over us young engineers, and attempt to develop us. Also becareful of your culture, if not someone is close to going to far, and a lawsuit could be a reality.

Pros

Benefits Package, location, work/life balance

Cons

Not much feedback or training opportunities

Advice to Senior Management

Managing tasks better, more feedback, more evaluations