“Be confident in your voice and don’t sell yourself short.”

In this episode, I sit down with Kylie Bright-Schuler, civil engineer and project manager at American Structurepoint, to explore her journey into engineering and the lessons she’s learned along the way.

Kylie shares how her family’s influence and early mission trips sparked an initial interest in environmental engineering, and how her path eventually led her to civil site design and project management. We talk about her early challenges navigating a male-dominated field, the role mentorship has played in building her confidence, and why having leaders who make space for your voice can change everything.

She also opens up about her podcast, Cheers with Engineers, which highlights the diverse paths within the profession. Kylie reflects on the importance of mentorship networks like IndyCREW, the value of her environmental science background, and her ongoing pursuit of her professional engineering license.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(03:09) A grandfather’s push toward engineering

(05:50) Pivoting from environmental to civil engineering

(08:47) Lessons from a first consulting role

(12:21) Stepping into project management

(17:01) Navigating a male-dominated field

(18:02) Mentors who make space for women

(20:10) Launching Cheers with Engineers

(25:07) Misconceptions about engineers

(26:46) The value of soft skills

(30:53) To never selling yourself short

(35:00) The power of mentorship

Connect with my guest:

Kylie Bright-Schuler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylie-bright-schuler-ei-560171128/

Explore American Structurepoint: https://www.structurepoint.com/

Check out Cheers with Engineers: https://open.spotify.com/show/0cjJVioTBVVstVoRgtpa8y?si=033317ef9ab340b3

https://podcasts.apple.com/tw/podcast/cheers-with-engineers/id1712169234?l=en-GB

Connect with me:

Ami Graves on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amigraves/
The People of Work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepeopleofwork/

Explore The People of Work: https://www.thepeopleofwork.com/