The National Society of Professional Engineers founded National Engineers Week in 1951 in conjunction with George Washington’s birthday. Washington was considered the nation’s first engineer, particularly for his survey work.

This year, National Engineers Week was celebrated in late February, and the occasion was a perfect one for Warfel Construction Company to celebrate its employees with engineering degrees who make the company a leader in the construction management industry.

As the Lead Estimator at Warfel’s Greater Philadelphia Office in Paoli, John Costalas leads the Preconstruction Team and plays a key role in setting projects up for success. Costalas, who earned a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Penn State, has been with Warfel since 2008.

He recently sat down with VISTA Today to discuss his career:

Q: What did you do before you came to Warfel?

A: I worked at my father’s remodeling company and did other odd jobs.

Q: What is your favorite part of your job?

A: Working with the team.

Q: What is the least favorite job you ever had?

A: In high school, I worked for a ceiling company. Sometimes, we were installing new Acoustic Ceiling Tiles (ACT); other times, we would go into commercial kitchens and clean their ceilings. Installing new ACT was great, cleaning kitchen ceilings and FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic) not so much.

Q: What advice do you have for students considering pursuing an engineering degree?

A: Enjoy everything college has to offer, but remember why you’re there and prioritize that from day one.

Q: What advice would you give someone applying to Warfel?

A: Put in the hard work, and it will pay off. It may take time, but it’s well worth it.

Q: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned in your career?

A: It’s about communication and creating relationships. Having the background and education really helps, but ultimately, we need to communicate what we know or have learned with subcontractors, suppliers, architects, engineers, and owners on a daily basis.

Q: If you could switch jobs with someone, who would it be? What would you do?

A: Be a cowboy. I just need to learn how to ride a horse.

Q: What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

A: Spending time outside with my wife and the dogs.

Warfel specializes in senior care, healthcare, education, historic renovation, and commercial projects for clients throughout the mid-Atlantic states. Its success in understanding the goals of its clients, promoting collaborative teamwork, and delivering projects efficiently is evidenced by the fact that approximately 75 percent of its work is with repeat customers. Click here to learn more.

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