This week in Episode 7 of Excavate, Beyond Brick & Mortar we talk to Shane G. Curran, Sr. Project Manager with Genentech. In his role, Shane manages the engineering systems of the products Genentech manufactures. Many disciplines report to him to help inform the design of these systems from architects to geotechnical, civil and mechanical engineers.

We love Shane’s enthusiasm for the built environment:

“It’s fun. You’re indoors, you’re outdoors. It’s fluid. It’s free. It’s a really great industry to work in.”

Everyone we’ve interviewed, Shane included, points to the physical rewards of working in the industry, which seem to be two-fold. In one sense, it is the actual job of building something from nothing: the physical work of creating the structure. Then, there is the resulting entity that exists when the work is done: a living, breathing testament to the job.

In addition to this aspect of the industry, he also highlights the sense of contributing to the betterment of humanity:

“You are fine-tuning a system that may be, actually inherently has a direct effect on someone in your community.”

As for skill sets required to work in construction, Shane advocates having fun, learning to excel at working with different types of personalities, focus and becoming competent at “learning to learn.”

One benefit of building a career in this industry that we hear over and over is the ability to travel the world:

“The reason this industry is so great is that you can work anywhere in the world. Engineering is engineering no matter where you go.”

Excavate, Beyond Brick & Mortar showcases the stories of influencers who are shaping the future of the built environment and flourishing in the industry. We believe that by seeing the possibilities, new talent can envision and create their future.

We hope you enjoy our exploration of the many facets and personalities in the built environment.