Introduction Reading is a known career advancement strategy. Self-directed reading is key to earning and maintaining professional credentials. Daily reading has many benefits including increased knowledge and reduced stress, and comprises varied approaches, such as the: When endeavoring to advance a career by reading, there are a plethora of resource choices. Examples: Related: Successful Projects…
Like lessons from most fathers, the advice I received from my father was as influential as it was pervasive. The knowledge he passed to me affects the way I approach my work, even today and it became ubiquitous. To a boy, nothing is more potent than the sage wisdom of a caring father. The earliest…
Inspection strategies have not changed but inspection considerations have. COVID-19 is an infectious virus that was first identified in late 2019 in Wuhan, China. Its spread has become a global pandemic. The COVID-19 virus outbreak is a human tragedy that directly affects billions of people, cripples governments, fosters fear, and shuts down economies. It’s growing impact…
Inspection is part of an effective supplier quality surveillance (SQS) program that successful projects use to ensure equipment and materials are delivered complete, correct, and on-time. Occasionally, an oil & gas (O&G) project purchases precast concrete items such as bridge girders, tanks or vaults. The owner or project may not, however, have a concrete specification….
Words are the master key to successful communication. Communication is the master key to successful projects. According to the article What Are the Causes of Communication Failure?, three (of four) causes of communication failure are related to the use of language: Words are the master key to successful communications. Related: Successful Projects Need Effective Communication….
Projects need to work smarter with fewer resources but will always need boots on the ground. The Engineering News-Record article Three Industries That Are Helping Drive Construction Companies Forward makes interesting observations about how companies working in the energy sector can learn from other industries. With one point, I agree. On another, I do not….
New talent will need to be attracted and retained, while knowledge will need to be transferred from the existing and departing talent. Research by PetroLMI about Canada’s oil & gas workforce that was quoted by JWN states that the industry will be challenged should a significant rebound in hiring occur.[1] This is true – and…
A pipeline’s first and best line of defense against corrosion damage is the external coatings. Coatings are only one of many methods, technologies, and practices used to ensure pipeline integrity from design and construction to operations, maintenance and retirement.[1] Related: Effective Supplier Quality Surveillance (SQS). Fusion Bonded Epoxy (FBE) is a powder coating that provides…
Education is an ever-important part of a successful career, but your education is not finished after obtaining a diploma or degree; the secret is that your learning should never stop. Taking business or technical training courses is always an option, but the time and resources may not always be available to do so. This is…
Do your Excel files print-out into un-formatted pages that require rework and are unsightly? Do your clients and co-workers cringe when you send an Excel file that they need to print for analysis or use? For an example of how a print-out that needs rework looks, see the unsightly un-formatted Excel print-out in Figure 1….
