- July 1, 2024
- Kimley-Horn Corner
Continuous Career Growth: Kimley-Horn’s Dedication to Professional Development
At Kimley-Horn, we’re firm believers in the power of teaching, mentoring, and developing—and we’re also firm believers that growth is a never-ending journey. That’s why we offer a large variety of professional development opportunities to invest in our employees at all stages of their careers.
From the moment our employees join Kimley-Horn, they are immersed in professional development courses. To provide an environment for our people to flourish, we have created interactive, hands-on programs that focus on technical training in specific disciplines, consultant development skills, and leadership.
In 2024, we’re scheduled to host 42 in-person trainings and workshops that over 3,200 of our people across the country will attend! Our courses are curated to each career level—from young analysts all the way to senior leaders.
Fundamentals for Flourishing
To kick-start a career at Kimley-Horn, our young professionals attend Fundamentals of Consulting (FOC), where they spend two days learning about our culture and philosophy, business approaches, and career development—while also refining their communication and leadership skills. Additionally, attendees can connect with other young professionals from across the firm and from different disciplines. Our most recent FOC trainings have taken place in Dallas, TX; St. Charles, IL; and Charlotte, NC!
"As a newer member on the Firmwide Technology Solutions team in Raleigh, FOC was a great opportunity to further integrate into the company's culture and have a deeper understanding of our core values. The environment of FOC allowed for deeper connections with other young professionals in the firm—and to expand my knowledge on how the company does business! Grateful to have been a part of this experience with Kimley-Horn!”
Angel Mercado
Learning On-The-Job: Technical Skills
Our analysts can also develop their discipline-specific skills in a virtual or hybrid learning environment through technical training programs—which focus on topics within development services, landscape architecture and planning, transportation, water/wastewater, and more! Analysts also gain experience and on-the-job skills development through site visits, equipment demos, and activities led by mid-level engineers.
Emma Morgan, EIT
“In April, I had the opportunity to attend Kimley-Horn Water/Wastewater Technical Training with peers from around the country. I'm grateful to work for a firm that continues to invest in my professional development. The highlight of the training was visiting the City of Denton Northwest Booster Pump Station construction site.”
Catalyzing Consultant Development
Fundamentals of Practice (FOP) is yet another firmwide professional development program Kimley-Horn has to offer that focuses on our culture and business approach. During the past few months, many of our mid-level professionals attended FOP trainings across the country, where they learned more about refining task and project management skills.
But wait—there’s more! Our emerging leaders also can apply to attend Consultant Training: a comprehensive week-long experience that participants attend during two consecutive years to strengthen their leadership, consulting, and client service skills. One of our recent Consultant Training classes successfully completed the program together in St. Charles, IL, last month to hone their skills and connect with other emerging and senior leaders in the firm.
“Consultant Training was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career so far! It was an honor to attend and to be surrounded by the top talent of our firm as we continue to grow as consultants together. It’s clear that we all have a bright future at the firm, and I’m grateful to Kimley-Horn for providing the environment for us to continue to foster internal relationships and push each other out of our comfort zones.”
Ellen Crist, PE
A Never-Ending Journey
And, like we said—we believe that growth never ends. That’s why our senior employees are also offered professional development courses that are tailored to their needs. From our Culture & Philosophy training to our People Building training, new and tenured senior employees can learn about Kimley-Horn’s practice-centered philosophy and how to coach and mentor younger staff members.
Frank Nguyen, CCNA, CCNP
"The People Building training is an invaluable investment for any leader dedicated to fostering a thriving workplace. This training truly transformed the way I approach my role as a leader, and I am already seeing the positive impact on my team and those around me. The mentoring and coaching activities were engaging and true to Kimley-Horn’s core purpose to provide an environment for our people to flourish.”
We prioritize our people—and we prioritize creating an environment where they can grow, lead, and flourish. The trainings we’ve hosted the past few months are just a glimpse of all the professional development opportunities we have to offer.
Want to join a company that invests in your career development? Check out our career opportunities here.