In honor of National Engineers Week, we’re highlighting Warfel employees with engineering degrees. Experts say demand for engineers will continue to grow as governments and industry work to meet the challenges of a growing global population and dwindling resources. Check out our featured employee today (Lead Estimator John Costalas), and follow along all week as we learn more about the team members who make Warfel a leader in the construction management industry.
Describe what you do at Warfel: Act as a Preconstruction Manager and lead the Greater Philadelphia PreConstruction team. This includes leading the estimating functions, investigating options to streamline the phasing/schedule/constructability/etc., and ultimately working with the team to set the project up for success.
Degree: Civil Engineering with a Construction Option
Why did you choose that course of study/degree? It was a 4-year degree for construction.
How long have you worked at Warfel? Since 2008 (Great time to start a new career in construction!)
What did you do before you came to Warfel? Penn State and working for my Dad’s remodeling company (as well as other odd jobs)
What is your favorite part of your job? Working with the team.
What is the least favorite job you ever had? In high school I worked for a ceiling company, sometimes we were installing new ACT ceilings, other times we would go into commercial kitchens and clean their ceilings. Installing new ACT was great, cleaning kitchen ceilings & FRP not so much.
What advice do you have for students considering pursuing an engineering degree? Enjoy everything college has to offer, but remember why you’re there and prioritize that from day one.
What advice would you give someone applying to Warfel? Put in the hard work, and it will pay off. It may take time, but it’s well worth it.
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned in your career? 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.
If you could switch jobs with someone, who would it be/what would you do? Be a cowboy; just need to learn how to ride a horse.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work? Spending time outside with my wife and the dogs.
