# What AEC Firms Get Wrong About Civil Engineer Onboarding **By Dan Cumberland** · Published November 1, 2026 · Categories: AI Strategy ![Featured image for What AEC Firms Get Wrong About Civil Engineer Onboarding](https://cms.dancumberlandlabs.com/uploads/featured_image_5a2d591031.webp) Illustration: Dan Cumberland Labs with Gemini. > Your newest civil engineer starts Monday. It's been three weeks since the offer letter. And you still haven't decided who's going to mentor them. Your newest civil engineer starts Monday\. It's been three weeks since the offer letter\. And you still haven't decided who's going to mentor them\. More than one\-third of AEC firms take over 40 days to get a new civil engineer contributing to billable work[1](#ref-1)\. A structured civil engineer onboarding checklist cuts that timeline— and the research on what works is clear\. This guide gives you the week\-by\-week structure to get there: what to have ready before Day 1, what Week 1 needs to accomplish, when the first billable task happens, and how to measure whether it's working\. Every section is AEC\-specific— the software ramp\-up timeline, the PE licensing conversation, the mentor system design, and the KPIs that tell you what you need to know\. Organizations with a standardized onboarding process experience 50% greater new hire productivity[2](#ref-2)\. That's not a marginal improvement\. That's the difference between a new hire who's billing in Week 3 and one who's still finding the printer in Week 6\. The cost of getting it wrong is higher than most firms calculate\. Replacing a civil engineer costs between 50–200% of their annual salary[3](#ref-3)— for a $90K hire, that's $45K to $180K per failed onboarding, before you count project delays\. "Week three productive" in this guide means one specific thing: the new engineer can take an assigned task, work through it with available resources, and deliver a reviewable output without requiring the mentor to do it for them\. Not fully independent\. Contributing\. Before your new hire walks in on Day 1, there are four things that must be ready\. ## Before Day 1— What to Have Ready Three things kill the first week before it starts: equipment that isn't ready, software licenses that aren't provisioned, and no one assigned to answer questions\. Address all three before Day 1\. The mentor relationship is not something you set up on Monday morning\. You set it up the week before the person arrives\. Google research[4](#ref-4) found that new hires paired with buddies reached full efficiency 25% faster than those without— but only when the buddy was prepared for the role, not just named to it\. **Before Day 1 Checklist:** - \[ \] Laptop provisioned, IT account created, email active - \[ \] VPN access configured and tested - \[ \] Network drives and shared project folders: access confirmed - \[ \] AutoCAD Civil 3D license activated \(not "pending"\) - \[ \] Procore or ACONEX account created and role configured - \[ \] Internal project management tools: access granted - \[ \] Safety training materials staged \(OSHA baseline\) - \[ \] Org chart prepared with names, roles, and project assignments - \[ \] 30\-day and 60\-day milestone goals documented - \[ \] Mentor selected, briefed on the buddy role, schedule adjusted for 10–20% reduced output - \[ \] Parking, building access, and site badge arranged - \[ \] First\-week schedule blocked \(not ad hoc\) - \[ \] Welcome email sent with Day 1 logistics: arrival time, parking, who to ask for With the foundation in place, Week 1 has one job: make the new engineer feel capable and connected\. ## Week 1— Environment, Safety, and First Contacts Project context comes later\. Start with the bathroom, the login list, and the one person they can ask anything\. New engineers in Week 1 are drinking out of the fire hose\. Everything is new at once— the office, the systems, the terminology, the team dynamics\. The best thing you can do is minimize the variables they have to navigate simultaneously, and make the critical connections feel manageable rather than urgent\. Safety orientation comes first— and it comes before any field exposure, not the following week\. Federal regulations require employers to train new employees on job\-specific hazards before site visits occur \(OSHA General Duty Clause; for construction\-adjacent field work, 29 CFR 1926\.21 applies directly\)[5](#ref-5)[6](#ref-6)\. Coverage: emergency response procedures, PPE requirements, hazard identification, and reporting procedures for unsafe conditions\. For a firm where your new engineer might visit an active site in Week 2, this is not the box you check on Day 3\. The licensing conversation also starts in Week 1\. An EIT \(Engineer\-in\-Training certificate, earned by passing the FE— Fundamentals of Engineering— exam\) to PE \(Professional Engineer license\) journey spans four to six years from graduation[7](#ref-7)\. That pathway starts in Week 1 of the first job, not at the 12\-month review\. Confirm the new hire's FE status, note whether they plan to pursue PE licensure, and refer them to NCEES \(National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying\) for state\-specific requirements\. State boards vary; don't prescribe a single path\. > **Mentor output cost:** Expect the assigned mentor's individual output to drop 10–20% for the first month[8](#ref-8)\. That is the cost of a proper handoff\. Acknowledge it explicitly in the mentor's workload; don't absorb it silently and then resent it\. Microsoft research[9](#ref-9) found that 97% of new hires who met with their buddy more than eight times in their first 90 days became productive more quickly— and reported 36% greater satisfaction by the 90\-day mark\. Daily 15\-minute check\-ins in Weeks 1 and 2 are how you get those eight meetings in\. **Week 1 Checklist:** - \[ \] IT setup: all logins verified, email working, VPN tested - \[ \] Safety orientation: OSHA General Duty Clause compliance completed before any field exposure - \[ \] Safety training: emergency response, PPE, hazard ID, reporting procedures - \[ \] Org chart walkthrough: who does what, communication norms, project types the firm runs - \[ \] EIT/PE status confirmed; FE/PE pathway conversation initiated - \[ \] NCEES reference provided for jurisdiction\-specific licensing requirements - \[ \] Mentor introduced; first 1:1 held; daily 15\-minute check\-in scheduled for Weeks 1–2 - \[ \] Company project portfolio overview: current clients, project stages, specialization areas - \[ \] Key introductions completed: department head, PMs, senior engineers - \[ \] Communication escalation explained: email vs\. in\-person vs\. urgent - \[ \] Mentor output expectations adjusted in weekly workload planning - \[ \] End\-of\-week check\-in: issues surfaced, comfort level assessed by department head Week 2 is where the technical ramp\-up begins— and where most onboarding programs underestimate the time required\. ## Week 2— Software, Standards, and First Task Week 2 is when most civil engineer onboarding checklists get unrealistic\. A new civil engineer cannot become proficient in AutoCAD Civil 3D \(the primary design tool for civil engineering firms\) in five days— full training runs 90\+ hours[10](#ref-10)\. Week 2 introduces the tools; proficiency develops over months\. Set this expectation explicitly on Day 1\. New engineers who believe they're supposed to master Civil 3D in Week 2 will feel like they're failing when they aren't\. Week 2 covers basic file structure, project templates, and how your firm specifically uses the tool\. Not certification\. **Software Ramp\-Up Priority:** ```html-table
ToolWeek 2 FocusFull Proficiency TimelineNotes
AutoCAD Civil 3DFile structure, project templates, basic workflowsMonths 2–4 (90+ hours)Primary design tool; firm-specific setup matters most
ProcoreAccount setup, RFI navigation, daily log basics2–4 weeks of active useFor heavy civil/construction11; steep learning curve12
Oracle ACONEXAccount setup, document submission workflow3–6 weeks of active useFor large infrastructure programs13; compliance-heavy14
ESRI ArcGIS / HEC-RAS / MicroStationAwareness only in Week 2Ongoing, by specializationDepends on firm focus: transportation, water resources, design
``` Procore[11](#ref-11) connects field and office with RFIs, submittals, daily logs, drawings, and financials— the primary platform for heavy civil and earthwork firms\. Oracle ACONEX[13](#ref-13) is built for large, multi\-stakeholder infrastructure programs requiring strict audit trails\. Most consulting engineering firms use one, not both\. Budget dedicated training time for whichever platform your firm runs\. "Figure it out" is not a training plan\. Codes and standards orientation also belongs in Week 2\. Where the IBC \(International Building Code\) tells you when and what to design for, ASCE 7 \(American Society of Civil Engineers Standard 7\) tells you how to calculate it[15](#ref-15)\. ASCE 7 covers dead and live loads, wind, snow, seismic, and flood loads\. New engineers need to know where to find these standards and what they govern— not memorize them on Day 8\. The first small task assignment also happens in Week 2: 4–8 hours of defined scope, clear deliverable, mentor reviews the output\. **Week 2 Checklist:** - \[ \] AutoCAD Civil 3D: firm\-specific file structure and project templates walked through - \[ \] Civil 3D training timeline communicated: "90\+ hours to proficiency; Week 2 is intro only" - \[ \] Procore or ACONEX: account configured, basic navigation completed - \[ \] Firm\-specific software documented: ArcGIS, HEC\-RAS, MicroStation as applicable - \[ \] IBC and ASCE 7 relationship explained: "when/what to design" vs\. "how to calculate" - \[ \] State\-specific code requirements identified; reference resources shared - \[ \] First small task assigned: 4–8 hours, defined scope, clear deliverable - \[ \] Mentor reviews first task output before Day 10 - \[ \] Daily 15\-minute mentor check\-ins continuing - \[ \] Firm billing practices explained: how hours are tracked and reported - \[ \] Project management workflow demonstrated: RFIs, submittals, daily logs By Week 3, the environment is stable, the tools are familiar in outline, and the new engineer is ready for their first real contribution\. ## Week 3— Active Contribution to a Billable Project "Productive by Week 3" means one specific thing: the new engineer takes an assigned task, works through it with available resources, and delivers a reviewable output without the mentor doing it for them\. Not unsupervised\. Contributing\. > **What "Productive by Week 3" Means:** Assigned a defined scope\. Working within their training\. Producing output a senior engineer can review and approve\. Not fully autonomous— contributing\. The GitLab engineering onboarding framework[16](#ref-16) describes Weeks 3–4 as when new engineers begin taking a more active role— contributing to small to medium tasks with mentor oversight\. In AEC, this means a 6–10 hour first billable task: a quantity takeoff, a drawing check, a plan set review, or site visit preparation\. Defined scope\. Clear deliverable\. Senior engineer reviews the output before it goes anywhere\. Week 3 contribution is best practice\. The AEC industry norm is still 40\+ days[1](#ref-1) to reach this point\. Week 3 is achievable— but only if Weeks 1 and 2 went as planned\. If pre\-Day 1 prep was skipped or the mentor wasn't ready, push the timeline\. Don't paper over a shaky foundation with an ambitious target\. **Week 3 Checklist:** - \[ \] First billable task assigned: 6–10 hours, defined scope, clear deliverable - \[ \] Mentor reviews task output before submission or internal handoff - \[ \] Daily standup attendance: new engineer participates, listens, asks one question - \[ \] Code review with mentor: one session where mentor walks through ASCE 7 or IBC alignment in the assigned work - \[ \] Productivity checkpoint: mentor and department head confirm "Week 3 ready" before assigning independent tasks - \[ \] KPI baseline established: weeks to first billable task logged - \[ \] 30\-day check\-in scheduled with department head - \[ \] Engineer questions and confusion points documented for follow\-up Getting to Week 3 productivity is the first milestone\. Keeping the engineer past 18 months is the ROI\. ## Months 2–3— Independence and Professional Development By Month 2, a new engineer should own a defined scope of work end\-to\-end— smaller projects, recurring tasks, or a module of a larger project\. Month 3 is full\-speed participation with decreasing supervisor overhead\. The mentor transitions from daily to weekly check\-ins in Month 2\. The engineer starts taking ownership rather than receiving assignments\. This is a visible shift— and it's worth naming explicitly in the 30\-day check\-in rather than letting it happen by accident\. And that shift is worth naming in the retention conversation too: Month 2 is when the development investment either compounds or stalls\. The engineer who arrives in Month 2 is not the same person who arrived in Week 1\. They've shipped something\. They've survived the fire hose\. This is when onboarding stops feeling like onboarding and starts feeling like employment— and that's the transition most firms fumble\. AEC research identifies an 18\-month professional development threshold that correlates with 5\+ year employment commitments[20](#ref-20)\. Firms that invest in development consistently through the first 18 months keep engineers\. Firms that don't are funding competitor onboarding instead\. **Months 2–3 Milestones:** - \[ \] Month 2: Engineer owns defined scope end\-to\-end \(smaller project or project module\) - \[ \] Month 2: Mentor transitions from daily to weekly check\-ins - \[ \] Month 2: EIT study plan formalized if applicable; FE exam eligibility tracked via NCEES[7](#ref-7) - \[ \] Month 2: ASCE membership encouraged; ASCE Career Grades framework[17](#ref-17) introduced as career roadmap - \[ \] Month 3: Full project participation, reduced supervisor overhead, peer\-level task ownership - \[ \] Month 3: ASCE Early Career Certification \(CE\-C\) discussed as a foundational knowledge documentation option[18](#ref-18) - \[ \] Month 3: 15 PDHs/year minimum for PE maintenance communicated; documentation habit started[19](#ref-19) - \[ \] Month 3: ASCE Mentor Match program[18](#ref-18) flagged for engineers who would benefit from external mentorship - \[ \] Month 3: 90\-day check\-in completed with department head and mentor Before closing the loop on onboarding, define how you'll measure whether it worked\. ## Measuring Success— The KPIs That Matter If you can't measure whether onboarding worked, you can't improve it\. Three KPI categories tell you what you need to know: productivity pace, retention trajectory, and process consistency\. **Onboarding KPI Dashboard:** ```html-table
KPI CategoryMetricTarget BenchmarkHow to Measure
ProductivityWeeks to first billable task≤ 3 weeksStart date vs. first billable entry
Productivity% tasks completed without major revision≥ 70% in Month 2Mentor review notes
Retention30-day retention100%Headcount tracking
Retention90-day retention≥ 95%Headcount tracking
Retention12-month retention≥ 91% (industry median21)Annual review
Satisfaction90-day satisfaction score≥ 36% above no-buddy baseline22Anonymous survey
ProcessChecklist completion rate100%Checklist sign-off tracking
ProcessMentor 1:1 frequency≥ 8 meetings in first 90 daysCalendar records
``` Track weeks to first billable task, not just start date\. The gap between those two numbers is your onboarding efficiency score\. AEC firms report a median overall retention rate of 88% and one\-year new hire retention of 91%[21](#ref-21)\. Firms above that benchmark have standardized onboarding\. The retained\-hire math is straightforward: if turnover costs 50–200% of salary[3](#ref-3), a $90K engineer retained past Month 4 represents $45K–$180K in avoided cost\. That's the return on the process above\. But the real measure is simpler than a dashboard: did the engineer stay? If you're tracking these numbers and want to understand what AI\-assisted improvement looks like at the measurement level, [measuring AI success in practice](/blog/measuring-ai-success/) is a useful companion to this process\. One area reshaping onboarding at AEC firms— often quietly— is AI\. ## Where AI Fits in Modern Civil Engineering Onboarding AI tools are shortening the learning curve for new civil engineers in specific, practical ways\. They don't replace the mentor relationship— but used correctly, they make the mentor's time more efficient\. No matter the question, people are the answer\. That's especially true in the first 90 days of an engineering hire\. But the AI tools available now can meaningfully reduce the volume of interruptions a mentor fields for basic reference questions— freeing that time for the contextual, ethical judgment calls that only an experienced engineer can teach\. **Four AI Use Cases in AEC Onboarding:** - **Code lookups:** New engineers can use AI assistants \(Claude, Perplexity, Copilot\) to quickly surface ASCE 7 sections[15](#ref-15), IBC provisions, and standard specifications\. A lookup that used to take 45 minutes takes 10\. The mentor's check\-in that day covers application, not lookup\. - **AutoCAD Civil 3D guidance:** Autodesk has been expanding AI capabilities in Civil 3D— including drawing validation and design check tools that can catch common errors earlier in the process\. This reduces some of the error\-finding burden during the learning period, though availability varies by subscription tier and version\. - **Documentation generation:** Firms are using AI to convert experienced engineer knowledge into structured training materials: SOPs, "how we do it here" guides, project\-type checklists\. This is where AI actually makes onboarding faster— not in replacing mentors, but in capturing what mentors know before it walks out the door\. - **Platform learning curves:** Procore and ACONEX are both developing AI features aimed at reducing navigation friction— a real potential advantage for new hires once these capabilities mature\. The limit of all of this is also clear\. AI cannot replicate what happens when a senior PE walks a new EIT through why a specific design decision was made\. That contextual judgment— the kind shaped by past project failures and hard\-won PE stamp authority— is the irreplaceable part\. Start with the systems your firm is already running and integrate incrementally\. Don't build new AI workflows on top of an onboarding process that isn't stable yet\. If you're figuring out how to make [AI implementation for engineering firms](/services/ai-implementation/) part of your development and retention strategy, the approach matters as much as the tools\. Firms that [build an AI\-ready culture](/blog/building-ai-culture/) before deploying the tools consistently see faster adoption than those who hand out software logins without a plan\. ## FAQ ### What if we don't have an experienced engineer available as a mentor? Assign the most recent hire who has 1\+ year tenure— they remember what confusion feels like and often make more effective mentors than veterans who've forgotten it\. Reduce their billable hours expectations by 10–20% for the first month and acknowledge that tradeoff explicitly[8](#ref-8)\. For very small firms \(under 15 people\), the ASCE Mentor Match program[18](#ref-18) provides external mentorship support without requiring internal capacity you don't have\. ### How do we onboard EIT, PE\-ready, and experienced hires differently? EIT hires need the PE licensing pathway conversation in Week 1 and benefit most from structured code training— ASCE 7 and IBC are foundational reference points a new EIT encounters on live projects from the start\. PE\-ready hires skip the FE/EIT discussion but still need firm\-specific software and project\-type orientation\. Experienced hires from other firms often already have Civil 3D proficiency— focus their Week 2 on firm\-specific workflows and project management software[7](#ref-7)\. ### How do we handle the 90\-hour Civil 3D training requirement? Week 2 covers introduction and basic workflows only— full Civil 3D proficiency is a Months 2–4 milestone\. Communicate this directly to the new hire on Day 1 to prevent performance anxiety\. Training programs typically run 90\+ hours of project\-based instruction[10](#ref-10); budget 4 months for actual software access and developing real\-world proficiency\. ### What's the real cost of failed onboarding? Replacing a civil engineer costs 50–200% of their annual salary in direct and indirect costs, plus the project delays that come with turnover[3](#ref-3)\. For a $90K engineer, that's $45K–$180K per failed hire— before accounting for the institutional knowledge that walks out with them\. Structured onboarding is the cheapest insurance your firm buys\. ## The Checklist Is the Floor A civil engineer who is productive by Week 3 got there because someone designed the process before Day 1\. The checklist above is the structure\. But the checklist is the floor, not the ceiling— the engineer you assign as mentor determines whether a new hire stays past 18 months, not the document you hand them on Day 1\. Get the prep right\. Get the mentor assignment right\. The productivity and retention numbers follow\. And the checklist doesn't do that part\. If your firm is also thinking about how AI tools fit into how you develop and retain engineers, that's a strategy question worth exploring\. A [fractional AI officer](/blog/what-is-a-fractional-ai-officer/) can help map where AI accelerates onboarding— and where it can't— without building infrastructure from scratch\. For [engineering firm leaders](/for-founders/) ready to think beyond the checklist, the starting point is always the process you already run, not a new one\. ## References 1. NSPE \(National Society of Professional Engineers\), "Talent Acquisition and Client Retention Present a Test for AEC Firms" \(2019\)— [https://www\.nspe\.org/career\-growth/pe\-magazine/july\-2019/talent\-acquisition\-client\-retention\-present\-test\-aec\-firms](https://www.nspe.org/career-growth/pe-magazine/july-2019/talent-acquisition-client-retention-present-test-aec-firms) 2. AEC Industry Research / UnaNet, "What Gives AEC Firms an Edge in the War for Talent?" \(2024\)— [https://unanet\.com/blog/what\-gives\-aec\-firms\-an\-edge\-in\-the\-war\-for\-talent](https://unanet.com/blog/what-gives-aec-firms-an-edge-in-the-war-for-talent) 3. AEC Industry Benchmarks / UnaNet, "Navigating the talent cliff in the AEC industry" \(2024\)— [https://unanet\.com/blog/navigating\-the\-talent\-cliff\-in\-the\-aec\-industry](https://unanet.com/blog/navigating-the-talent-cliff-in-the-aec-industry) 4. Google / Vector Solutions, "Best Practices for Onboarding Engineers" \(2024\)— [https://www\.vectorsolutions\.com/resources/blogs/best\-practices\-for\-onboarding\-engineers/](https://www.vectorsolutions.com/resources/blogs/best-practices-for-onboarding-engineers/) 5. OSHA / HR Cloud, "OSHA Onboarding Checklist for Safety" \(2026\)— [https://www\.hrcloud\.com/resources/onboarding\-checklists\-templates/osha\-onboarding\-checklist](https://www.hrcloud.com/resources/onboarding-checklists-templates/osha-onboarding-checklist) 6. SafetyCulture, "Employee Onboarding for Safety" \(2024\)— [https://safetyculture\.com/checklists/operations/employee\-onboarding](https://safetyculture.com/checklists/operations/employee-onboarding) 7. Multiple PE licensing authorities / School of PE, "EIT to PE Pathway & How Long It Actually Takes" \(2026\)— [https://schoolofpe\.com/blogs/news/eit\-to\-pe\-pathway](https://schoolofpe.com/blogs/news/eit-to-pe-pathway) 8. Engineering Onboarding Best Practices / Vector Solutions, "Best Practices for Onboarding Engineers" \(2024\)— [https://www\.vectorsolutions\.com/resources/blogs/best\-practices\-for\-onboarding\-engineers/](https://www.vectorsolutions.com/resources/blogs/best-practices-for-onboarding-engineers/) 9. Microsoft / Vector Solutions, "Best Practices for Onboarding Engineers" \(2024\)— [https://www\.vectorsolutions\.com/resources/blogs/best\-practices\-for\-onboarding\-engineers/](https://www.vectorsolutions.com/resources/blogs/best-practices-for-onboarding-engineers/) 10. VDCI and training providers, "Civil 3D Certification Course Online with Software & Exam" \(2024\)— [https://vdci\.edu/courses/civil\-3d\-certification](https://vdci.edu/courses/civil-3d-certification) 11. AEC Software Review / ONES, "7 Best Project Management Platforms for Civil Engineers in 2026" \(2026\)— [https://ones\.com/blog/7\-best\-project\-management\-platforms\-for\-civil\-engineers\-in\-2026/](https://ones.com/blog/7-best-project-management-platforms-for-civil-engineers-in-2026/) 12. Capterra user reviews, "Compare Procore vs Oracle Aconex 2026" \(2024\)— [https://www\.capterra\.com/compare/56250\-220249/Procore\-vs\-Oracle\-Aconex](https://www.capterra.com/compare/56250-220249/Procore-vs-Oracle-Aconex) 13. AEC Software Review / Ingenious Build, "Top Aconex Alternatives for Construction Teams" \(2026\)— [https://www\.ingenious\.build/blog\-posts/top\-aconex\-alternatives\-for\-construction\-teams](https://www.ingenious.build/blog-posts/top-aconex-alternatives-for-construction-teams) 14. AEC Software Reviews / Flowcase, "15 Best Project Management Systems for AEC Firms" \(2024\)— [https://www\.flowcase\.com/blog/15\-best\-project\-management\-systems\-for\-aec\-firms](https://www.flowcase.com/blog/15-best-project-management-systems-for-aec-firms) 15. ASCE, "Putting ASCE Standards Into Practice" \(2022\)— [https://www\.asce\.org/publications\-and\-news/civil\-engineering\-source/article/2022/08/26/putting\-asce\-standards\-into\-practice/](https://www.asce.org/publications-and-news/civil-engineering-source/article/2022/08/26/putting-asce-standards-into-practice/) 16. GitLab, "How to quickly \(and successfully\) onboard engineers" \(2022\)— [https://about\.gitlab\.com/blog/2022/07/21/quickly\-onboarding\-engineers\-successfully/](https://about.gitlab.com/blog/2022/07/21/quickly-onboarding-engineers-successfully/) 17. ASCE, "Updated Engineering Grades Outline Your Career Roadmap" \(2022\)— [https://www\.asce\.org/publications\-and\-news/civil\-engineering\-source/article/2022/08/19/updated\-engineering\-grades\-outline\-your\-career\-roadmap](https://www.asce.org/publications-and-news/civil-engineering-source/article/2022/08/19/updated-engineering-grades-outline-your-career-roadmap) 18. ASCE, "Early Career Engineers" \(2026\)— [https://www\.asce\.org/career\-growth/early\-career\-engineers](https://www.asce.org/career-growth/early-career-engineers) 19. ASCE Policy Statement 425, "Continuing Professional Development for Licensure" \(2026\)— [https://www\.asce\.org/advocacy/policy\-statements/ps425\-\-\-continuing\-professional\-development\-for\-licensure](https://www.asce.org/advocacy/policy-statements/ps425---continuing-professional-development-for-licensure) 20. AEC Talent Retention Research / UnaNet, "What Gives AEC Firms an Edge in the War for Talent?" \(2024\)— [https://unanet\.com/blog/what\-gives\-aec\-firms\-an\-edge\-in\-the\-war\-for\-talent](https://unanet.com/blog/what-gives-aec-firms-an-edge-in-the-war-for-talent) 21. AEC Workforce Benchmarks / Zweig Group, "2026 AEC Workforce Benchmarks for Recruiting and Retention" \(2026\)— [https://zweiggroup\.com/blogs/the\-zweig\-letter/2026\-aec\-workforce\-benchmarks\-recruiting\-retention](https://zweiggroup.com/blogs/the-zweig-letter/2026-aec-workforce-benchmarks-recruiting-retention) 22. Microsoft / Vector Solutions, "Best Practices for Onboarding Engineers" \(2024\)— [https://www\.vectorsolutions\.com/resources/blogs/best\-practices\-for\-onboarding\-engineers/](https://www.vectorsolutions.com/resources/blogs/best-practices-for-onboarding-engineers/) --- **How we made this article:** We use AI in our research and writing so our small team can share more of what we learn. We verify the sources and take responsibility for every article we publish. [Read how we use AI.](https://dancumberlandlabs.com/how-we-use-ai/) --- ## About the author **Dan Cumberland** — Founder, Dan Cumberland Labs Dan Cumberland helps engineering and construction firms see where they stand with AI and decide what to build first. He created Pacemark, the AI maturity model used in every Dan Cumberland Labs engagement, built from published research on more than 400 named firms and organizations. - Take the assessment: https://pacemark.ai/signal/assessment/?track=aec&utm_source=dcl-site&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=pacemark-assessment - Book a call: https://book.dancumberland.com/ai-strategy --- Source: https://dancumberlandlabs.com/blog/civil-engineer-onboarding-checklist/