Frequently Asked Questions

What is SE3?
The Structural Engineering Engagement and Equity (SE3) was established with the mission of improving engagement and equity in the structural engineering profession in order to provide meaningful input on improving both of these metrics within the industry.  

The SE3 Committee was originally a committee within the Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC).

In mid-2017, an SE3 Committee was created at the national level through NCSEA (National Council of Structural Engineers Associations) with the primary goal of administering a similar nationwide study of structural engineering professionals every two years. 

For more information, see the 2017 SE3 Project video documentary or the NCSEA SE3 Committee Page.

What is the SE3 survey?

This SE3 survey is a nationwide gender-focused study on compensation, employee engagement, and career satisfaction for structural engineers. 

The 2020 survey, which was administered nationally by the NCSEA, was released at the end of March and was open for three months, until the end of June 2020. The results will be released starting in late 2020, into early 2021.

Who was the survey meant for?

The survey was designed to survey anyone who is working, or has worked as a structural engineer in the United States. 

What are the main goals of this study?

Previous studies by the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Structural Engineering Institute (ASCE/SEI) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) found that women disproportionately leave structural engineering and related industries before reaching leadership positions, citing a multitude of factors that conspire to create a workplace that is fundamentally unfavorable to the advancement of women. In order to ensure that structural engineering is a profession that continues to retain people of all genders, we need to first understand what causes people to leave our industry, as well as what causes them to stay. 

To help accomplish that, the goals of this study are two-fold: to understand the keys to employee engagement/retention, and to identify gender-related obstacles at various stages in a structural engineer's career. Once these issues have been identified, we hope to help solve them by identifying ways in which firms can adapt their practices to retain an engaged, productive and diverse workforce. ​

What similar studies have been done in the AEC industry?

Please see links below to some of the studies that inspired our research efforts.

Why They Stay… Why They Leave… Apr, 2015 By Robert Pekelnicky, S.E. and Kyle J. Twitchell, M.S., E.I.T. In Articles, Professional Issues 

Diversity in the Structural Engineering Profession  Oct, 2014 By Abbie Liel In Articles, Structure Magazine, Professional Issues

Equity in Architecture 2014 Survey Report Annelise Pitts, Rosa Sheng, Erik Evenhouse, and Ruohnan Hu, AIA San Francisco and Equity by Design Committee

Is the survey anonymous?

The online survey is anonymous and completely voluntary. Any personal information provided in this survey is strictly confidential.

​The research team will continue to take extra precautions available within the survey software to protect the anonymity of each respondent. During analysis, survey responses may have been used for segmentation or analytical modelling. In no instance were responses used for marketing efforts. 

When will the results of the 2018 survey be available to the public?

The findings will be presented at various Structural Engineers Association (SEA) events, and also distributed nationally as a report to all interested participants.
​
This report will be available on this site in the fall. 

What areas of study does the survey cover?

The 2020 SE3 Survey covers the following areas of study related to employee engagement and retention:

Job satisfaction
Career trajectory and advancement
Pay and compensation
Work environment
​Work-life balance and flexibility benefits

How was the survey distributed?

The 2020 NCSEA SE3 Survey is being distributed through the NCSEA. It has been sent to all SEA members and posted in the NCSEA and ASCE/SEI newsletters. In addition, a concerted effort has been made to distribute the survey to engineering firms throughout the country, through individual e-mails from committee members and board members or delegates of each state SEA.
 
The research team reached out to leaders of NCSEA and ASCE/SEI membership organizations, and business leaders, to help with distribution.
Aside from these large-scale distribution efforts, the team relied heavily on word-of-mouth distribution, including connections with the team's personal and professional contacts (colleagues, professors, advisers, alumni associations) and publishing the link on social media sites such as LinkedIn.  We reached out to individuals within structural engineering offices throughout the United States.

How can I join the SE3 project efforts?

If you have questions or comments about the project, or you are interested in joining our efforts, please contact [email protected] or [email protected] - for the Northern California Chapter of SE3 Committee.

 More SE3 Pages

Keep up with the latest SE3 News
Review Preliminary Survey Results
Discuss with the Community