Partner Scott Ash-Anderson shares thoughts about his career as a structural engineer and what it means to be part of a team.

What first sparked your interest in engineering? I always enjoyed building things. I learned how to work with tools and renovate from my grandfather and father. 

What part of your work gives you the greatest sense of pride? Helping clients realize their project goals. I enjoy working with the contractors and seeing how a good relationship and teamwork leads to success. 

How does your work impact families or communities in ways people might not immediately see? We work on many smaller projects where clients have limited budgets. I am always pleased when we can help families starting out in their first home or renovate an older place and make it a comfortable home to raise a family. 

What motivates you on the challenging days? The team I work with. We are lucky to have a group of people that support each other in the office. If I need help or am unsure how to proceed the team is always there to support me and help me move forward. 

What values guide the way you approach projects and client relationships? Engineering is a customer service business. I feel the best way to succeed is to have a good relationship with the architect, contractor, and client. There are challenges faced in every project but when you can pick up the phone and talk though the design with the team it makes all the difference. 

What does “doing a good job” truly mean to you? Happy clients and a successful build.

What do you hope clients feel when they work with you? I hope the clients not only enjoy working with us but also develop a relationship. I enjoy that we have many repeat clients that I have known for year. I learn about their personal lives and what they enjoy doing outside of work. I always appreciat the chance to talk about fishing or hunting and to see how they are progressing in their careers. 

How has engineering shaped you as a person? Engineering is a demanding profession and requires discipline, focus, and the ability to deal with stress and control your ego. This has translated into my personal life and helped with raising my kids and motivating me to stay physically fit as well as doing my best to achieve a work life balance.

What do you think people misunderstand most about engineers? The general public is generally unaware of engineering or what our profession entails. I think there is the thought that we are the nerdy type that sits at a computer doing math. We are actually more critical thinkers who have to solve problems in a dynamic environment and communicate the solutions in a straightforward manner to clients with varying understanding of the information that we are relaying. 

Have you ever driven past a completed project and felt something special? What goes through your mind? When I drive down East Hastings there is a heritage warehouse that we turned into a mixed use building. It was one of the first projects that I worked on when I started and it helped to shape the direction I took in my consulting career. 

How do you see engineering contributing to a more sustainable future? I think one of the best ways to think about sustainability is efficiency. No matter what type of building material you are working with a structural design is like solving a puzzle with multiple solutions. Being able to see the path to the most efficient design also leads to sustainability. This also ties into our continuing education. Understanding what new products are coming to market and how they can be implemented to save the client money, as well as improve efficiency and in turn the environment.

What advice would you give your younger self starting out in engineering? Continuing education is vital to your success. Taking courses through the SEABC is a good start but only a component of being a successful consultant. You need to ensure that a portion of your continuing education is focused on leadership and self-discipline. If you want to progress as an engineer, you will need both components. You can’t learn everything you need to know in the office, you need to put in the works on your own time.

What has been the most meaningful milestone in your career? Our office is organized into scrums where one P.Eng. oversees a team of engineers and drafters. Having my scrum come together and function as a team and to see the EIT’s and drafters succeed has been the most meaningful accomplishment for me. 

What keeps you curious? I like to learn. Seeing new innovations and solutions to problems keeps me coming back. The building industry is currently changing more than it ever has. Code, material, integration of services make for a dynamic environment that keeps me on my toes.

What still excites you about engineering after all these years? Happy clients and successful projects. Working on innovative solutions to make challenging architectural designs possible and straight forward to construct.  

If you weren’t an engineer, what do you think you’d be doing? I would be doing something in the outdoor space. Possibly fisheries research. Most likely something that involved being on the ocean as much as possible. 

What do you enjoy most outside of work? I enjoy spending time outside with my family and friends. Fishing, archery, hunting, hiking, and camping are the things I like to do most.