Engineering the Future: What Tomorrow's Engineers want in a Career

About this episode

The episode features scholarship winners discussing their career aspirations and what they seek in employers.

What does it take to attract and inspire the next generation of engineers? Hear directly from two standout scholarship winners, Matthew Young and Isaiah Choma, as they share their journeys, motivations, and what they’re really looking for in an employer. From switching majors and navigating internships to the importance of work-life balance and company culture, this conversation is packed with honest insights and a few laughs along the way. Highlights The winding path from biology to civil engineering How scholarship opportunities shape student decisions The real value of internships (and the “space to be incompetent”) What young engineers want from employers—beyond salary The role of company culture and growth opportunities Lightning round: favorite bars, movies, and dream travel destinations Chapters 00:00 – Welcome and introductions at SMH Engineering in Manhattan, KS 01:00 – Meet Matthew Young: background, family, and early interests 03:00 – The journey to engineering: switching majors and finding a fit 08:30 – Why K State? College choices and COVID-era experiences 13:00 – Internships: from city government to Black & Veatch 22:50 – Landing a full-time offer and what…

People in this episode

Guests: Matthew Young, Isaiah Choma

Topics covered

• engineering careers
• internships
• company culture
• work-life balance
• scholarship opportunities
• young engineers

Keywords

• engineering
• career
• internships
• company culture
• work-life balance
• scholarships
• young engineers

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: K State, Black & Veatch

Places: Manhattan, KS

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