At KSN, Inc., career growth for employees isn’t just an option, it’s a priority.

That’s what Carina Solorio discovered shortly after joining the team at KSN. Working out of KSN’s Stockton office, Solorio’s rise from assistant project manager to licensed land surveyor is a powerful example of how KSN’s leadership actively fosters professional development.

From the day she was hired, Solorio was given the opportunity to become immersed in a variety of engineering assignments – from flood contingency mapping to construction contracting and even marketing. For Solorio, the chance to explore different facets of the engineering field was a natural fit.

“I was just one of those kids who knew I wanted to go into engineering from the time I was in middle school,” Solorio said.

A Stockton native, Solorio began her engineering journey early at St. Mary’s High School, where she studied to become an engineering technician.  After earning her bachelor’s degree in business administration from National University, she went to work for the Stockton East Water District as an engineering technician for more than a decade.

“Before working at KSN, my previous job involved a lot of what I do now—CAD, GIS, some surveying, topography and cross-sections,” Solorio said. “I had never worked under a licensed land surveyor before though, so that was all new to me at KSN.”

As it turned out, that new experience would open a career path for Solorio that she had not anticipated. The survey team recognized her interest and aptitude, and she was soon drawn into the world of land surveying full time.

“Kris Nehmer, our land surveying manager, insisted that his team needed me in that role,” Solorio said.

Solorio found herself enjoying her new position immensely as she gained experience in the intricacies of surveying and boundary work. As her proficiency grew, Solorio was encouraged by the KSN team to pursue a license in surveying.

“Kris Nehmer, Brett Setness and Joey Pilatti were my cheerleaders,” said Solorio. “They were great mentors, always supportive and they were persistent with their encouragement.”

To prepare for the required licensing tests, Solorio realized she would need to go back to school for two semesters. It was then she found KSN’s support wasn’t limited to cheerleading.

“KSN not only provided me with tuition support but reimbursed me for the online preparatory courses and testing fees,” Solorio said. “Sometimes you need an extra push and KSN provided that. It felt good knowing my company supported me and I was grateful for their help.”

Still, Solorio had the daunting task of passing two National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) exams, and the California Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) State-Specific Exam.

“The pass rate is very low,” Solorio said. “Without a degree specific to engineering, I initially doubted I could pass the tests, but the education, guidance and encouragement at KSN helped me realize it was possible.”

“Possible,” as it turns out, would be an understatement.

“I passed all three exams on my first attempt,” Solorio said.

Now a licensed land surveyor, Solorio said the journey from new hire, to new goals, to new professional title was made feasible by the company values held by KSN.

“Everyone is helpful and encouraging here,” Solorio said. “KSN has a great culture. We lift each other up and we look out for one another. If I have a question, there’s always someone willing to help me figure it out.”

For her peers looking for guidance in their own profession, Solorio’s advice is to gain as much experience as possible in different disciplines of engineering rather than becoming siloed in any particular niche.

“Try to gain knowledge in a variety of areas because everything connects in some way,” Solorio said. “All the various projects I worked on in the past, those helped me when I wanted to take my career to the next step”.

With that mindset as a newly licensed professional land surveyor, Solorio said she’s looking forward to continuing her growth trajectory.

“In the future I’m hoping to get into management,” Solorio said. “For now, I want to keep surveying and learning. You can never know everything and there’s always room to learn more, especially when you have a team that supports you.”