How to progress in engineering, automation: 3 phases

Automation engineering career phases, development insights

• Three phases of careers in automation, controls and instrumentation careers are foundation, practice and mastery, as applied at CDM Smith.
• Examples of how foundation, practice and mastery career phases progress in automation, controls and instrumentation careers, providing a possible roadmap.
• Questions or reflections about careers in automation, controls and instrumentation can be directed to this author.

What are the various career stages in automation and engineering, and what does a typical career path look like? See also, “Mentoring automation and controls professionals by sharing advice, experiences” in the January/February issue of Control Engineering.

CDM Smith delineates career ladders into three phases: Foundation, practice and mastery.

As someone who occupies a senior engineering and managerial role in the latter part of my career, I can fondly look back and reflect on these three phases and their profound impact on my personal growth and development. Through my own journey, I’ve come to understand that patience, commitment and consistency were the keys to my success. Each journey through these phases is personal and will differ.

Foundation phase

The foundation phase, or what I like to call the “sponge” phase, is where you should explore every available type of work within your company, building technical and professional skills along the way. For the engineers on my team, this involves gaining exposure to everything we do in automation as designers, programmers, field technicians and consultants. This phase includes development of career-serving soft skills, such as time management, organization, technical writing and professional communications. I remember feeling impatient during this phase, constantly wanting to climb the career ladder more rapidly. It was challenging not to compare myself to others, but once I shifted my focus to leveraging my strengths as a designer and mentor, I began to flourish. It took several years of trying everything to hone my strengths, which empowered progression to the practice phase.

Practice phase

During this phase, the level of responsibility and independence increases, while leveraging strengths and forming a strong professional network. In the practice phase, many tasks and assignments that were once part of entry-level responsibilities are delegated to entry level staff, allowing the opportunity to take on projects to call your own. During this exciting time, you should be thriving, especially within an environment that fosters growth and further develops your strengths and interests. A big part of the practice phase adds the role of mentor while continuing as a mentee. At this point in my career, my focus shifted exclusively to design work. Looking back, I recall some really interesting projects I was assigned to as lead engineer, along with involvement in committees and professional societies that further influenced my future career path.

Three phases of careers in automation, controls and instrumentation careers are foundation, practice and mastery, as explained by Eric J. Silverman, PE, PMP, CDT, vice president, senior automation engineer, CDM Smith. Courtesy: CDM Smith

Mastery phase

In the mastery phase, you’re recognized as a leader or subject-matter expert, carrying significant responsibility. People rely on your expertise, and you’re now in a position to more widely mentor and give back to others, helping to shape the next generation of professionals. Embracing change and maintaining a mindset of continuous learning are essential to staying engaged in an industry that has evolved significantly since entering the workforce. Avoiding complacency is key! In my journey, I pursued additional certifications and transitioned into a role managing a team, which opened new doors and opportunities. In addition, I volunteered to lead automation initiatives within my company and have had the honor of joining Control Engineering’s Advisory Board.

Send questions about engineering careers, progression

Because of industry developments and changing opportunities, it’s hard for anyone starting out to grasp the full pace and trajectory of a career. For me, I feel everything happened at the right times. Few people feel completely comfortable with accepting new challenges, but this is how we grow. Because of the rapid changes in automation, controls and instrumentation and how they’re applied and integrated, we’re fortunate to always have new technologies and skills to master, serving as catalysts to the next career rung.

Where are you in your career journey, and what has your unique career progression looked like? Where has your satisfaction been the greatest? Where are your greatest challenges? How can I help? Please send questions, reflections and/or examples to SilvermanEJ@cdmsmith.com, including thoughts on future topics for this space.

Eric J. Silverman, PE, PMP, CDT, is vice president, senior automation engineer, CDM Smith, and a Control Engineering Editorial Advisory Board member. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, WTWH Media LLC, mhoske@wtwhmedia.com.

KEYWORDS: Automation, controls, instrumentation, engineering career development

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