The Daily Responsibilities of a Structural Engineer

In the past, we’ve talked about what a structural engineer does while on the job and why you need one, but we know that a lot of people are bound to have questions about what it is we do just on a day-to-day basis. Structural engineering is much more than just the exciting building aspects that we get to be a part of. Before all of the big projects come together, there is a lot of work that we need to do in the background that you may not be aware of.

On the typical workday, you can probably find a structural engineer performing calculations or building computer-based models of a structure. He or she may be sitting at their desk, drawing supportive details and making change after change to make sure that it comes out as perfect as possible. You’ll most likely find that they’re not alone either.

Whether it’s over the phone or in person, a structural engineer can often be found interacting with clients, architects, consultants and other team members on a daily basis. Once the drawings and the calculations have all come together, then comes the time that you’ll most likely find a structural engineer on the job site, working with contractors and ensuring that everything goes smoothly.

As you can tell, there is a lot more that goes into the daily life of being a structural engineer than simply watching everything come together. I think that you could say that this profession is a great mix of engineering, fieldwork and public relations.

(Post by Tray Allen of James Thomas Engineering)    

What a Success!

So the James Thomas Engineering Rigging Experience came to a close over the weekend and on behalf of our company, I’d like to thank everyone who came out and made this event such a success. We all had a great time ourselves and we sincerely hope that the rest of our engineering friends and colleagues did as well!

We managed to cover quite a bit of information over the five day span of the event and we’d like to hear a little bit of feedback from those who attended. This was the first ever Rigging Experience event that has ever been put on by James Thomas Engineering and we’d love to know what you thought! What was your favorite part of the whole event? Was there one particular training seminar that stood out above the rest? Let us know!

In the meantime, enjoy a few pictures that we managed to capture during the very first day of the event! We’ll try to post more pictures soon, so be on the lookout for those and stay tuned in the future for news on any new ventures we may decide to take on!

(Post by Tray Allen of James Thomas Engineering)   

How James Thomas Engineering Got its Start

Anyone who is familiar with our company knows that we’ve called the Knoxville area home for quite a long time now – but our roots are dug a little deeper than that. In fact, production began thousands of miles away in Bishampton England during 1977. It took a lot of dedication and hard work to get us across the pond to where we are today.

Two talented structural engineers by the names of John Thomas and John Walters began the business by operating from inside a small garage where the very first spun aluminum par fixture was created. Of course, this structure later became the industry standard as the two engineers relocated to Pershore the next year to begin manufacturing trusses. This is where the general purpose truss was originated.

As the company began to grow more and more success, the need to expand was becoming increasingly necessary. James Thomas Engineering first made the move to the United States in 1990, but with the creation of the supertruss in 1992 and increased production, the company made the second move to a larger facility in October of 2001.

Though simultaneous truss production continues on two separate continents, James Thomas Engineering has managed to maintain its position as an industry leader. With continued innovation through design and excellence, those of who represent the Knoxville location are dedicated to live up to the high standards that our clients have grown to expect from our brand since 1977.

(Post by Tray Allen of James Thomas Engineering)  

ETCP Certification and Renewals

Previously, we had mentioned that while attending the James Thomas Engineering Rigging Experience next week, fifty to one-hundred percent of the time you spend will go towards Entertainment Technician Certification Program, or ETCP, renewal credits. However, what exactly is this program all about?

According to the official website, ETCP “focuses on disciplines that directly affect the health and safety of crews, performers and audiences. There are two areas of certification – electrical skills and rigging skills, and an entertainment technician may take exams to hold one or more of the following certifications: Rigger—Arena, Rigger—Theatre, and Entertainment Electrician.” 

Once you’ve received your certification, you need to maintain it by having it renewed every five years. So the question is, how do you go about doing this? 

“To maintain the ETCP certification, a certified entertainment rigger must accumulate 40 renewal credits of continued training/professional development OR retake the certification examination and accumulate a minimum of 10 renewal credits of continued training/professional development over the 5 year period following the examination.”

By attending the James Thomas Engineering Rigging Experience and receiving your certificate, you will be taking another big step towards maintaining your title as an ETCP certified technician – and we all know how important such a title can be in this industry!

For more information on the ETCP certification renewals, visit the Entertainment Technician Certification Program’s official website and we’ll see you all next week!

The Big Event is Just Around the Corner!

Have you packed your things and hit the road yet? The James Thomas Engineering Rigging Experience is next week and we hope you’re just as excited as we are! The big event will take place from Tuesday, February 26 to Saturday, March 2, 2013 at the Holiday Inn Worlds Fair Park in Knoxville, TN and we’ve got a lot of great stuff lined up for all of our guests.

We suggest that you make your way into town early so you can rest up and prepare yourself for the week ahead. Each day of the Rigging Experience will be jam-packed with a variety of exciting truss, rigging and roof system training seminars and we wouldn’t want you or your company to miss out!

Fifty to one-hundred percent of the time you spend at our seminar will go towards Entertainment Technician Certification Program (ETCP) renewal credits, so once completed, you will have your certificate.

For more information on the James Thomas Engineering Rigging Experience, please visit this link and be sure to contact Erica White by phone at 800-380-7526 or by email for any travel questions you may have. We look forward to seeing you soon!