Since 1893 U.S. Engineering has helped design and build some of the most complex and advanced mechanical systems in the world. We’ve led advances in the construction industry, partnered with generations of craftspeople and consistently reinvested our time, talent and treasure in our team members and in the communities where we work and live.

All our successes come from investing in our people and delivering more value for our customers. We’re committed to helping team members develop new skills, creating whole new career paths and creating new products to build stronger partnerships.

That commitment is one reason we created a new position: Early Careers Recruiter. As the next generation of mechanical contractors enters the scene, we want to get in on the ground floor to help guide them and offer them the tools they need to succeed.

We recently sat down with Meghan Stumpf, our first Early Careers Recruiter, to talk about what she brings to the table, what she’s working on and where the early careers program is headed.

How did you get here?

I studied communication with an emphasis in media at Culver-Stockton College, so I became a reporter and did an internship at the CBS affiliate station in my hometown. News was a difficult industry to work in because it didn’t allow for a life outside of work. I moved on from that industry and took a position at the Vocational Center at the high school I graduated from and focused on career and technical education classes. Part of that role, as is the case with my current position, was to connect with the community.

Later, I joined the Colorado School of Mines Foundation, working with Mines students to get them connected to the Alumni Association and to philanthropy. I eventually began working in HR roles, which led me to 360 Engineering, the first engineering firm I worked at. I was an Administrative Coordinator and had known about U.S. Engineering, first from Colorado School of Mines being so specialized, and then through 360 because they were a mechanical engineering firm.

I discovered the Talent Acquisition Coordinator position on LinkedIn, and during my interview it became clear that there was a higher priority to fill the Early Careers Recruiter role.

Why did USE create this position?

The Talent Acquisition team has a bit of a startup feel, even though the company is nearly 130 years old. We’ve gone through a rather quick growth spurt. Recruiting is needed for an obvious reason: how do we find people that are a good cultural fit and are good at their jobs? This question creates more questions. How do we get our name out there and increase that name recognition?

In addition to allowing us to focus on growing our internship program, this position creates a better opportunity to focus on community connections. Being able to bring local educators to the Metalworks facility in Lawrence is one of the ways that we have been able to strengthen our relationship with the education community. There’s a lot of great talent coming directly out of high school and college, but often, the only way for them to know about us is to have heard about us before, so we really want to approach students and introduce them to what we do and why we’re a great company to work for.

What are some projects your team is working on now?

We are currently deciding which career fairs we’re going to and then signing up for them. The important part of the work prior to this is reaching out to each U.S. Engineering company and asking who has interest in having an intern. If someone is interested, we ask what kind of help they need in finding one.

In the next few weeks, teams from across regions and companies will meet to talk about the internship program in depth.

How does your position impact USE’s culture?

Being able to bring in new hires with fresh perspectives and introduce them to well-established team members allows for a dynamic workspace. This position creates a better chance for us to meet a wider variety of college and high school students by developing those community relationships.

A big aspect of our job is bringing in people, and we want to bring in the best people so that we can continue to achieve better outcomes. Every minor improvement can contribute to making the organization a great place to work.

What can we expect from Talent Acquisition in the future?

Because this is a newer group at this well-established company, we are mapping out a lot of process flows to improve our efficiency and accomplish as much as possible. We want to create an organized, consistent format for the way we do things in Human Resources, so it can be replicated as we grow.

We want to continue to build relationships with local universities and increase awareness about our internship programs and early career opportunities. Down the road, I would like to extend more opportunities to high school students within technical education. There are some interesting statistics that show that students who are in vocational classes often finish high school specifically because of their enrollment in those classes. The trades are a male-dominated industry for the most part, and I think there is an opportunity in Early Careers to encourage young women to seek career paths in these areas. 

We are also focusing on reaching out to veterans and those either currently serving in the military or who have family members who are currently serving.  

A major initiative for Human Resources is increasing diversity, equity and inclusion. This is something we are always actively trying to improve, but we want to be sure to be intentional with the way we go about this. I’m excited to see what happens.