Michael Malcolm

Drafter/Designer

It’s official it’s been five years since you joined Civiltec! We would love to hear how you have grown during this time! Let’s start, shall we?

Last time we chatted you were attending college while working with us. How was that experience? (Restate where you attended, your major, and when you finished)   

When I started at Civiltec I was at Rio Hondo College earning a drafting certificate and since have gone on to earn an associates degree there before recently transferring to the California State University of Long Beach. I major in construction management and will graduate in 2025.

What made you decide to pursue engineering? (Is there a particular specialty that you lean more towards? Water, wastewater, drainage, transportation, etc.)

The engineering industry is full of opportunity, everyone in the office and the field plays their role to help bring the vision to life. T

We recall what drew you to Civiltec, now what had kept you with us after all this time? 

The culture and values that Civiltec has feel exactly like a family. We all know each other and take an interest each other’s work. We want the best for each other and lift each other up.

In your day-to-day work has there been a favorite project you have worked on and what made it stick out in your mind? 

Every new project that I work on becomes my favorite project. It has been a progression and will continue to be that way. There is nothing more satisfying then submitting a final plan set and then getting to start up a new project immediately after.

After five years at an engineering company, what is something you would like to tell others about this career path?

If you are looking to get into a career that does more than just pay the bills you can have a great life in this industry. Drafting has an established pathway to becoming a civil designer which you can take in many directions.  

What has been a personal triumph in the past five years?

When I started working with one of our clients and they sent their comments back to us for revisions, on the front of the markups was a note circled that said, “Nice Plans”.  That was such a great feeling and a personal triumph that I will not soon forget.

What is your next big goal? 

The next big goal is to graduate from CSULB Construction Management program and start providing construction management services to our clients.

Have you painted anything recently you would like to share? 

My daughter Victoria is a gifted painter at 3 years old. She just painted every inch of a pumpkin with random colors in a random pattern of brushstrokes. I however have passed the painting to her.

Lastly, you said in the past interview, “I also draw every day on the computer when I come into work. I love it.” How would you describe the similarities between day-to-day work and your hobby? 

There is no separation between my career and my hobby.  Every sheet that is drafted and annotated is an expression of symmetry and design. There is an attention to detail and a satisfaction that comes from knowing it will be viewed by builders and used to make something real. When it is done correctly they won’t even realize it was produced by another person.  All they will notice is the information being shown because it will look so ‘clean’. That is art on a functional level.