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Just six months ago, Greg Carr, CDT®, of the Ayres Associates Engineering Services Team, sat down with CSI to discuss how the Construction Documents Technologist (CDT®) certification has positively impacted his career. Now, with his sights set on earning the CCCA® and CCS®, he shares how he continues to increase his understanding and expertise in the AECO industry, and how rewarding a career can be when you make a commitment to never stop learning. |
CSI: Greg, looking back at our previous conversation with you, I was really impressed by how many different aspects of the AECO industry you connect to. What are some of the bigger trends throughout the industry that you’re seeing right now?
Greg Carr: Right now, the hot topic is AI and how it's going to revolutionize the industry. From planned production through project manuals and specifications, I think it’s going to have a significant impact over the next few years.
What stands out the most?
At Ayres, we're starting to incorporate AI into proposal work. I use AI agents to help prepare specifications and double-check my work. It's still pretty superficial at this point, but the change is coming. It's inevitable.
Is ensuring everything is compatible the biggest challenge to implementing this technology?
You’re training your AI agent to understand the project and your standards, and everybody’s learning in real time as the technology evolves. I’ll upload our standard Engineers Joint Contract Documents Committee (EJCDC) contract and ask it to help prepare standards and specifications that align with those requirements. It’s a very useful tool, but I still treat it as a tool. I don’t let it replace what I do.
You’ve already earned your CDT, and in our last interview you mentioned pursuing your CCCA and CCS. Are you in the process of doing that?
Yes, I am. I have the Construction Contract Administration Practice Guide right here. I read these manuals cover to cover, just like I did with the Project Delivery Practice Guide. I can’t say enough good things about them. The CDT manual was so fundamentally sound in explaining the project delivery process. I really enjoyed studying it, and earning the certification was the icing on the cake.
What’s been the biggest learning curve as you take this next step?
I first looked into these certifications because Ayres strongly encourages continuous learning. In our engineering services group, we do a lot of site, civil, and municipal work. A few years ago, several senior project managers and design professionals retired, and we got much younger very quickly. When I came across the CDT and did some research, it seemed like a great fit. I was really impressed by how much it changed the way I think about construction documents. I no longer see specifications as separate pieces—they’re one coordinated set of construction documents that have to complement each other. That’s become something I really enjoy.
One thing that always fascinates me about the AECO industry is how many different specialties there are. Whether it’s airports, schools, infrastructure, or new materials, everyone has a different area of expertise. Where does your team fit, and how do you see your role in the industry?
I’m a supervisor in our engineering services group. We work primarily with municipalities, especially in western Wisconsin, though our offices across the country do similar work. Many of the small cities and villages we serve don’t have their own engineering staff, so we provide those services for them.
One of the senior design professionals I mentioned earlier had his CCS certification through CSI. He was someone I really looked up to. He maintained all of our internal specifications, tracked preferred products for our municipal clients, and kept everything current. When he retired, that responsibility was passed to me. That's a big reason I started pursuing these certifications. I knew I needed to step up and serve our clients at the same level as he did. I'm still working toward that, but I'm trying—and so far, I haven't had any complaints.
How are the certifications you’re pursuing helping shape how you approach your work?
Before I started getting into the CDT and CCCA certifications, one thing that was always vague to me was where the engineer’s responsibilities began and ended. Once you get into construction, those roles are clearly stated in the manuals (CSI practice guides) and in the contract. We work with EJCDC contracts a lot, and they really clarify the roles, responsibilities, and boundaries.
I wilI highlight sections in the practice guides and send them to my team. I’ll point out, “This is how it should be done. These are the fundamentals. This is how communication should happen.”
We want to help. On every project, we want to produce a good result. That's why we do what we do. Engineers are natural problem solvers.
I’ve heard AECO professionals say there isn't a robust enough workforce in the market right now. Why is that, and where is the impact being felt most directly?
For our group specifically, and even Ayres as a whole, we have about 75 job postings right now. We have 12 offices in seven states and around 400 employees. Our group alone has two openings, and if qualified candidates come along, it’s an automatic interview.
Contractors are feeling it too. On any job site, you can see a lack of experienced contracting professionals. The same is true on the engineering side. I think the whole industry is feeling it on both sides of the contract. It's hard to find good help.
You’ve mentioned that your company is very intentional about helping employees grow. Is there a specific approach you take to developing people and encouraging them to pursue advanced certifications?
Absolutely. I'm a firm believer in getting people into work they enjoy and then letting them run with it. That's worked well for our group, and it's how I ended up where I am today. I was hired as an engineering technician 11 years ago, and I’ve grown into a supervisor role over time. I've worked through every stage: construction, CAD, producing drawings, assembling project manuals, administering contracts, and managing the bidding process.
The CDT really brings you back to the fundamentals of the entire project delivery process. It's helped build my confidence in how I make decisions and support my team. I've recommended it to people throughout our group and across our division because the information is so valuable. Even if someone never pursues the certification, reading a few chapters in the practice guide is worthwhile.
If someone on your team didn't have CDT knowledge—maybe they're newer to the profession—where would that gap most likely show up in their work?
I think it would show up across the entire project delivery process. The CDT covers everything from project conception through construction and even facility operations afterward. It provides such a broad foundation that it influences every stage. Reading the practice guide was eye-opening for me. I didn't expect to enjoy working through a technical manual, but it reinforced the fundamentals of the profession and gave me much more confidence in understanding the process and making decisions.
Ayres really emphasizes lifelong learning, and that's become one of my core values. I encourage everyone in the industry to pursue the CDT or, at the very least, spend time with the material because it's incredibly valuable.